Crime & Safety
String Of Anti-Asian Attacks On The UWS, Indictment Made: DA
The attacker targeted at least six different Asian people on the Upper West Side from March 16 to May 11, the Manhattan DA said.
UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A woman accused of attacking at least six different Asian people in recent months on the Upper West Side was indicted Wednesday on a slew of charges, the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office announced.
Camila Rodriguez, 29, was charged with multiple counts of hate crimes and aggravated harassment, the DA said.
“Hate and harassment have absolutely no place on the streets of Manhattan and New Yorkers of all backgrounds deserve to feel safe,” Bragg said in a news release. “We will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute these types of biased, violent attacks. My thoughts are with the victims as they continue to heal.”
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All of the attacks happened a few blocks away from each other between March 16 and May 11 on the Upper West Side, according to the DA.
March 16
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About 9:20 p.m., Rodriguez kicked a woman of Korean descent in the back of the leg as she walked into the subway at the southwest corner of West 110th Street and Broadway, the DA said.
March 22
About 9:40 p.m. on March 22, Rodriguez pulled a woman's hair by her clip on West 108th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam avenues, the DA said. The woman, of Chinese descent, turned around and spoke to her in Mandarin, which prompted Rodriguez to slap her in the face, the DA said.
The two fell to the ground, where Rodriguez continued to punch her, the DA said.
Rodriguez fled the scene, the DA added.
April 8
About 9 p.m. on April 8, Rodriguez approached a man while he was waiting with two friends for a table at a restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue between West 106th and 107th streets, the DA said.
All three of the individuals were of Chinese descent, and Rodriguez pushed one of the friends, before hitting another one of the three in the leg with her scooter, the DA said. She proceeded to try to attack the waitress, before punching the man after he pushed her away, the DA said.
April 21
About 5:10 p.m. Rodriguez attacked a woman of Filipino descent at the corner of West 104th Street and Broadway, while the victim was walking home, the DA said.
Rodriguez came up from her side, grabbed her hair, pulled her to the ground, and punched her multiple times in the face, the DA sad.
April 27
About 7:30 p.m., Rodriguez spat in the direction of a person of Chinese descent at the corner of West 110th Street and Broadway, the DA said.
The spit landed on the victim's jacket and neck, the DA added.
May 11
At an unspecified time, Rodriguez approached a man of Korean descent as he stood outside smoking a cigarette near West 109th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, the DA said.
She yelled and cursed at him, before hitting him with the back of her hand, knocking the glasses off his face, the DA said.
Bragg specifically thanked the Upper West Side's 24th Precinct and the Hate Crimes Task Force for their assistance with the case.
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