Earlier today, the attacker in a brutal triple homicide at a South Brooklyn eatery was indicted on multiple counts of murder including a hate crime in the killing of three Asian men with a hammer.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Arthur Martunovich, 34 of Brooklyn has been arraigned on a 21-count indictment in which he is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder as a hate crime and related charges for allegedly bludgeoning three Asian men on January 15, 2019, causing their death.
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.
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Midwood) applauded the announcement and hopes justice is done on behalf of the victims’ families.
“I thank Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez for his commitment to ensuring that the perpetrator in the Seaport Buffet attack is charged appropriately for the crimes he committed. In particular, the Murder 2 as a hate crime charge sends a strong message that we will not tolerate targeted hatred and violence in this City. I am hopeful that the charges brought today against the attacker will bring some peace to the families of the three victims,” said Deutsch.
Martunovich was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on the 21-count indictment in which he is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, six counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, six counts of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of third-degree assault.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.The defendant was ordered held without bail and to return to court on March 4, 2019. He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of the top count.
The defendant was also indicted on assault charges for allegedly attacking two police officers following his arrest.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Yi Liu, of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.
