A 50-year-old Baltimore man has been charged with hate crime and attempted murder after he went on a rampage destroying liquor stores owned by Asian Americans.
Daryl Doles, who hit two Korean sisters in the head with a cinder block, has been indicted by a grand jury and charged on 22 counts, including four of attempted murder and nine related to acts of hate crime, the prosecutors said.
Mr Doles went on a destructive and hate-filled rampage on 2 May in Baltimore.
State attorney Marilyn Mosby told the media: “This crime shocked the conscience of everyone in Baltimore. Today’s indictment shows that hate has no home in our city. We commend the victims for their courage and look forward to delivering justice.”
According to the prosecutors, Mr Doles was denied entry to one business owned by Asian Americans because he refused to wear a mask, which is a Covid-19 safety protocol. He went on to destroy a $1000 lottery machine installed in the store.
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He returned to the Linden Discount Liquors and attacked a security guard following which the owner had to control the situation. Mr Doles soon fled the spot and went into another store, 40/40 Liquors, also owned by Asian Americans. In the second store, he destroyed wine bottles on display.
The Baltimore Sun reported that the owner of the store told Mr Doles not to return to the store and he replied with: “F–k Chinese!”
He then went to a third store, Wonder Land Liquors, and targeted two Asian-American sisters, Hy-Shin Williams, 67, and Hye-Kyong Yun, 66, and hit them with a cinder block. His actions were caught on a surveillance camera. He hit them in the head repeatedly till they were covered in blood.
Mr Doles was arrested six blocks away from the store.
Court documents show that when Mr Doles was asked why he attacked the sisters, he said: “She shouldn’t have came out.”
“They f****d your country up, but you still love them. F**k outta here. I won’t eat s**t out their motherf*****g stores… I’ll order out before I eat that motherf*****g food.”
The two sisters are still battling headaches and dizziness, prosecutors said. They had to be hospitalised after the attack.
Mr Doles faces two life sentences plus 65 years if convicted on all charges. His attorney Staci Pipkin told the media that he has battled addiction and mental health issues throughout his life. She also accused Mr Mosby of seeking more serious charges due to media attention in the case.
“Unfortunately, we have seen that office overcharge cases on a regular basis simply because they want press attention,” Ms Pipkin said.
Mr Doles, meanwhile, remains in custody without bail.
