Suspect identified in Dallas salon taking pictures as FBI opens hate crime investigation

The incident could also be connected to shootings at Asian-run businesses, police said.

17 Might 2022, 21:08

• 7 min read

Dallas police arrested a suspect in reference to the Might 11 shooting of three ladies in a hair salon within the metropolis's Koreatown. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime and may very well be linked to a sequence of recent shootings at Asian-run companies in the metropolis, police mentioned.

The victims, the salon owner, an worker and a buyer, are all Korean, in response to ABC affiliate station WFAA in Dallas. The women suffered nonfatal accidents and were transported to an area hospital, based on police.

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

"During our investigation, detectives learned that two years in the past Smith had a motorcar crash with an Asian male," Garcia stated. "Since this crash, Smith has had panic assaults and delusions when he is around 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. Attorney’s Workplace for the Northern District in Texas and the Civil Rights Division of the Division of Justice have opened a federal hate crime investigation into the incident at Hair World Salon in Dallas,” a spokesperson for the FBI area workplace in Dallas informed ABC News on Monday. "We're in shut communication with Dallas Police and are partnering together to totally examine this incident. As this is an ongoing investigation, we aren't in a position to remark further at this time."

Police met with group members at a city hall in Koreatown on Monday amid considerations for the general public's security.

Two of the taking pictures victims – the owner and an employee – had been present at the meeting, according to WFAA. The employee spoke with the help of an interpreter and her was face lined. The ladies did not reveal their names.

Garcia said that police continue to investigate two other shootings that could be linked to the salon capturing.

"Right now, there have been no arrests on these cases," Garcia mentioned, including that the investigation is ongoing.

The arrest comes days after Garcia announced throughout a Friday press convention that law enforcement “concluded three current shootings of Asian run businesses could also be related.” The suspect in each incident was driving the same car.

This photograph shows the interior of Hair World Salon in Dallas on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Police are in search of a man who opened hearth inside the salon in Dallas' Koreatown space, wounding three individuals.

Police stated they discovered from a witness report that an unknown Black male parked in what appeared to be "a darkish shade minivan-type car" on Royal Lane and then walked throughout the parking lot and into the establishment, allegedly opening fire as soon as he entered the salon.

Police also launched a safety image of a maroon minivan they said the shooter fled the scene in.

Garcia stated the taking pictures on the salon is likely to be linked to at least one that occurred a day before and one that befell final month.

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

And on Might 10, a suspect in a burgundy van or automobile drove by and shot into Asian-run companies close to 4849 Sunnyvale Street, police mentioned.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we've reached out to our companions to make them aware of the potential connection and ask for their help,” Garcia stated. “This contains the FBI and member businesses of the Joint Terrorism Task Drive. We're additionally working with North Texas police partners to find out if this prison motion has or is happening of their jurisdictions.”

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

Garcia said police might be increasing the presence of excessive visibility patrol officers in areas in the metropolis the place there are large Asian American populations.

“We are turning to each resident of the town of Dallas to keep an eye out and safeguard our city,” Garcia said. “Hate has no place right here.”

These incidents in Dallas come amid a spate of assaults targeting Asian Individuals throughout the nation, which spiked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABC's Jim Ryan reviews:

ABC News' Invoice Hutchinson and contributed to this report.