Police: Christian Batista Charged For Sucker Punching 75-Year-Old Asian Woman
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The long arm of the law has caught up with a man police had been searching for.
Police say Christian Batista of Queens is the man seen on video punching a 75-year-old Asian woman.
The incident happened at around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near 97th Place and 57th Avenue in Corona.
Surveillance video shows the suspect randomly sucker punch the woman. She falls against the wall and to the ground as the suspect takes off running.
The victim is a Chinese-American mother who has been living in the neighborhood for four decades.
"She was just coming back from the supermarket and she had her shopping cart," the victim's son told CBS2's Ali Bauman.
The 75-year-old victim has two black eyes and a fractured eye socket and nose.
"She said people around were nice enough to help her call the ambulance. They came to pick her up and stuff like that, so I'm glad people around here at least stick up for each other," the victim's son said.
There have been at least 86 anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police citywide so far this year, up from just 19 reported for the same period last year.
The victim of Wednesday's attack was treated for her injuries at the hospital but still has to return for surgery.
Batista, 24, faces assault charges.
