While the alleged perpetrator of a gruesome triple homicide committed last week in Sheepshead Bay awaits formal arraignment while undergoing psychiatric evaluation at Kings County Hospital, local elected officials demanded today that a hate crime be part of all charges.
According to media and police reports, Arthur Martunovich, 34, of Brighton Beach, entered Seaport Buffet, 2027 Emmons Avenue in Sheepshead Bay at about 5 p.m., Jan. 15 wielding a hammer. He then attacked the restaurant owner, Kheong Ng-Thang, 60, and two other employees Chef Fufai Pun,34, and Tsz Mat Pun, 50, with the tool before fleeing the scene.
All three men eventually succumbed to their wounds–Chef Pun died at the scene while owner Ng-Thang died last Friday, Jan. 18, while Man Pun died this past Thursday.
Shortly after the incident, cops nabbed Martunovich about two block away on East 19th Street near Emmons Avenue. Cops reported the suspect to be emotionally disturbed with some media reports saying police said the suspect told them he was hearing voices. Others reports said he claimed his attack was inspired by an unnamed film depicting Chinese men abusing Chinese women.
Either way, City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Midwood) led a unity rally earlier today outside the eatery alongside City Councilwoman Margaret Chin (D-Manhattan) to demand that the Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez add hate crime charges to any murder charges once he is formally arraigned.
“We respect each other and we support each other in difficult times. We are about uniting in our humanity. Hate has no place in Sheepshead Bay and hate has no place in our city,” said Deutsch.
Deutsch went on to state that he has been in communication with Gonzalez’s office, who plans on looking into the violent attack as a hate crime.
An official from the DA Gonzalez’s office, James Lin, confirmed the ongoing criminal investigation.
“DA Gonzalez wants to assure you that these crimes are being investigated as hate crimes. Diversity is a strength of this City, of Sheepshead Bay and of this borough. We are standing here united in diversity and against hatred and violence”, said Lin.
A representative of the families, Tsang Tsang, 59, thanked the community for rallying around them and for their continued support in bringing justice and peace to the victims.
“I believe that they want the attacker to be prosecuted because that is a way for them to release their anger. Of course, they want justice. They really appreciate the community and Councilman Deutsch for helping them in this difficult moment,” said Tsang.
Tsang went on to note that the deaths have also left some of the victim’s families cash strapped due to a loss of income. The families are now hoping to apply to the Crime Victim Compensation Fund, to help with the racking up of bills.
Other Brooklyn electeds standing united at the event included City Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst), Assembly members William Colton (D-Gravesend, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights), State Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park, Midwood) and Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (D-Flatlands, Sheepshead Bay, East Flatbush).
“We are at the scene of a hate crime massacre. We will continue to stand in solidarity with all communities impacted by hate. We also must continue to hold ourselves accountable through our words, language and action. We call upon the District Attorney to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law as a hate crime, as a murder but also send a message to the folks in government and our leaders — to be responsible in your words and actions,” said Treyger.
“We must bring about love, pace and respect for each other. Let there be no doubt about it. This is an act of terrorism, of racism. This is a crime against people and it must be treated as such,” said Colton.
“We are living in a time of deep fear, of deep hatred, of division and of deep conversations of otherness and it needs to stop. And it’s incumbent on all of us elected leaders, community leaders, human beings from one to another to make it stop,” said Gounardes.
