Suspect identified in Dallas salon capturing as FBI opens hate crime investigation

The incident could also be connected to shootings at Asian-run companies, police mentioned.

17 Could 2022, 21:08

• 7 min learn

Dallas police arrested a suspect in reference to the Could 11 capturing of three women in a hair salon within the city's Koreatown. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime and could possibly be linked to a series of latest shootings at Asian-run companies within the metropolis, police said.

The victims, the salon proprietor, an employee and a customer, are all Korean, based on ABC affiliate station WFAA in Dallas. The ladies suffered nonfatal accidents and had been transported to a local hospital, in line with police.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia identified the suspect as 36-year-old Jeremy Smith during a press convention on Tuesday. Garcia stated that Smith was charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

"Throughout our investigation, detectives realized that two years ago Smith had a motorized vehicle crash with an Asian male," Garcia stated. "Since this crash, Smith has had panic assaults and delusions when he is round anyone of Asian descent."

The Dallas Police Division and the FBI are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

"The Dallas FBI Discipline Office, the U.S. Lawyer’s Office for the Northern District in Texas and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice have opened a federal hate crime investigation into the incident at Hair World Salon in Dallas,” a spokesperson for the FBI subject office in Dallas informed ABC News on Monday. "We're in shut communication with Dallas Police and are partnering together to completely examine this incident. As that is an ongoing investigation, we're not able to comment additional at this time."

Police met with community members at a city corridor in Koreatown on Monday amid considerations for the public's safety.

Two of the capturing victims – the proprietor and an employee – have been present on the assembly, in line with WFAA. The worker spoke with the help of an interpreter and her was face covered. The ladies didn't reveal their names.

Garcia said that police proceed to analyze two different shootings which may be linked to the salon taking pictures.

"At the moment, there have been no arrests on these circumstances," Garcia mentioned, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

The arrest comes days after Garcia announced during a Friday press convention that legislation enforcement “concluded three recent shootings of Asian run businesses may be connected.” The suspect in every incident was driving an identical automobile.

This picture reveals the interior of Hair World Salon in Dallas on Thursday, Could 12, 2022. Police are searching for a man who opened fireplace inside the salon in Dallas' Koreatown area, wounding three individuals.

Police said they realized from a witness report that an unknown Black male parked in what appeared to be "a dark color minivan-type automobile" on Royal Lane after which walked across the parking zone and into the institution, allegedly opening hearth as quickly as he entered the salon.

Police additionally released a security picture of a maroon minivan they stated the shooter fled the scene in.

Garcia stated the shooting on the salon could be linked to one that happened a day earlier than and one that came about last month.

Police realized from witness reviews that on April 2, a driver in a pink minivan drove previous a strip mall of Asian-run businesses and fired photographs at three businesses. No one was injured.

And on Could 10, a suspect in a burgundy van or automobile drove by and shot into Asian-run businesses close to 4849 Sunnyvale Road, police stated.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have now reached out to our companions to make them conscious of the possible connection and ask for their assistance,” Garcia stated. “This includes the FBI and member agencies of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We are additionally working with North Texas police companions to determine if this legal action has or is taking place in their jurisdictions.”

Hair World Salon in Dallas, Could 12, 2022. A person opened fire inside the hair salon in Dallas' Koreatown space, wounding three individuals.

Garcia mentioned police might be increasing the presence of excessive visibility patrol officers in areas in the metropolis where there are giant Asian American populations.

“We are turning to each resident of the town of Dallas to maintain a watch out and safeguard our city,” Garcia stated. “Hate has no place right here.”

These incidents in Dallas come amid a spate of attacks focusing on Asian People throughout the nation, which spiked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABC's Jim Ryan reports:

ABC News' Bill Hutchinson and contributed to this report.