NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A Brooklyn man on Wednesday was charged in a series of attacks on women who he allegedly targeted “based on their gender, skin color or race,” prosecutors said.
Khari Covington, 29, was arraigned Wednesday morning on a 52-count indictment for the attacks, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Covington is accused of attacking seven women in different instances between Aug. 5, 2020 and Jan. 4, 2021. Prosecutors say he targeted his victims because “they were women and light-skinned.”
All but two of the seven attacks that Covington is accused of took place at the Morgan Avenue L train station in East Williamsburg, where the alleged tacker resides.
“This defendant’s alleged violent and unprovoked attacks endangered the women he targeted and caused widespread fear in the community. I am committed to prosecuting all hate crimes where victims, including as alleged in this case, are targeted because of their gender, skin color or race,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
The 29-year-old was charged with second-degree burglary as a hate crime, second-degree strangulation as a hate crime, third-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree menacing as a hate crime and other related charges.
Covington’s bail was continued at $150,000. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. He was ordered to return to court on April 13.
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