Daquan Armstead, a 31-year-old man from the East Bronx, was arrested in New York City for a series of hate-motivated assaults on seven women in Lower Manhattan. The assaults took place between late March and mid-April and involved random attacks on women, including punching them in the face, head, or back. Armstead claimed that the victims had spit on him, but the police refuted this, stating that he was the aggressor in the attacks. He was arrested on suspicion of hate crime/assault, attempted hate crime, and aggravated harassment.
It is unclear whether Armstead has retained legal counsel, as a public record of his arrest was unavailable. New York County Defender Services, which provides defense attorneys for many criminal cases, noted the lack of information. Police have reported a total of 95 unprovoked assaults in Manhattan so far in the year, with 50 of them involving female victims. At least one arrest was previously made in connection with a separate series of attacks earlier in the spring, but the allegations against Armstead do not appear to be related to those incidents. The attacks have gained attention after some victims shared their stories on social media.
The timeline of the alleged attacks provided by the NYPD includes incidents that took place in the Lower East Side and Greenwich Village. The first report came on March 24, when a 30-year-old woman was struck in the face, causing dizziness, but she refused medical attention. The next day, a 36-year-old woman was struck on the back, also refusing treatment. On April 2, a 38-year-old woman was struck on the back of the head, and on April 5, a 25-year-old woman was struck on the face. A 44-year-old woman was also struck on the face on the same day. Finally, on April 8, a 24-year-old woman was struck on the back of her head. In all cases, the victims refused medical attention.
The incidents involving Daquan Armstead are part of a larger pattern of unprovoked assaults against women in Manhattan. The police have been actively investigating these assaults and working to make arrests in connection with the attacks. The assaults have raised concerns about the safety of women in public spaces in the city and have sparked a conversation about the need for increased security measures. The arrest of Armstead is a step towards addressing the issue and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Police continue to encourage victims of such attacks to come forward and report any incidents to the authorities.
