Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. today announced the indictment of DERRICK JOHNSON, 40, for attacking two women of Korean descent inside the Rockefeller Center subway station while yelling anti-Asian slurs two months ago. JOHNSON is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with two counts of Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime and two counts of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, a misdemeanor hate crime. [1]   

“The subway is central to our city, and riders of all backgrounds deserve safety when they travel,” said District Attorney Bragg. “The rise of bias-driven crimes is unacceptable. We are expanding our Office’s Hate Crimes Unit to enhance these prosecutions while increasing community engagement and other preventative measures. If you have been a victim of a hate crime, please call my Office’s Hate Crimes Hotline at 212-335-3100.”

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, on the afternoon of May 8, 2022, JOHNSON threw an unknown liquid at two women who had just entered the Rockefeller Center subway station. JOHNSON allegedly spit at one of them and hurled racially offensive remarks at them, including, “I don’t know why you’re here,” and charged at one of the women, causing her to fall to the ground. As a result of the assault, the victim sustained significant bruising to her arms and legs and experienced substantial pain and swelling to her head and jaw.

Assistant D.A. Christine DiDomenico is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Hannah Yu (Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), Assistant D.A. Jonathon Junig (Deputy Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), Assistant D.A. Charles Whitt (Chief of Trial Bureau 60), and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division).

D.A. Bragg thanked Deputy Inspector Andrew Arias and Det. Daniel Zhang of NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force, and members of NYPD’s Transit Division District 1, for their assistance with this case.
 
Defendant:
DERRICK JOHNSON
New York, New York

CHARGED:

• Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime, a class E felony, two counts
• Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, an A misdemeanor, two counts

 

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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.