A Brewster man was charged with a hate crime for asking a taxi driver if he was a Muslim before stabbing him multiple times.
Police say 21-year-old Michael Enright was charged with attempted murder as a hate crime.
According to authorities, Enright hailed yellow cab at the intersection of Second Avenue and East 24th Street at 6:14 p.m. Tuesday. While traveling northbound, he reportedly asked the cab driver, "Are you Muslim?"
Police say Enright then pulled out a leatherman knife and attacked the driver, described as a 43-year-old man of Asian descent.
He stabbed the driver at least five times, in the throat, right arm, left forearm, thumb and upper lip.
The driver managed to keep control of the vehicle and lock the passenger in the back of the cab.
He pulled over at Third Avenue and East 40th Street and called 911. Police arrived and took Enright into custody.
The driver was taken to Bellevue Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. Enright was also taken there for psychatric evaluation.
Enright is also charged with assault with a weapon as a hate crime, harassment as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon, in addition to the attempted murder charge.
Police say that although Enright was obviously intoxicated, he attacked only after the cab driver confirmed he was Muslim. That led them to the bias crime determination.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7629005
Police say 21-year-old Michael Enright was charged with attempted murder as a hate crime.
According to authorities, Enright hailed yellow cab at the intersection of Second Avenue and East 24th Street at 6:14 p.m. Tuesday. While traveling northbound, he reportedly asked the cab driver, "Are you Muslim?"
Police say Enright then pulled out a leatherman knife and attacked the driver, described as a 43-year-old man of Asian descent.
He stabbed the driver at least five times, in the throat, right arm, left forearm, thumb and upper lip.
The driver managed to keep control of the vehicle and lock the passenger in the back of the cab.
He pulled over at Third Avenue and East 40th Street and called 911. Police arrived and took Enright into custody.
The driver was taken to Bellevue Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. Enright was also taken there for psychatric evaluation.
Enright is also charged with assault with a weapon as a hate crime, harassment as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon, in addition to the attempted murder charge.
Police say that although Enright was obviously intoxicated, he attacked only after the cab driver confirmed he was Muslim. That led them to the bias crime determination.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7629005
