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

The incident could also be linked to shootings at Asian-run companies, police said.

17 May 2022, 21:08

• 7 min learn

Dallas police arrested a suspect in reference to the Might 11 capturing of three ladies in a hair salon in the city's Koreatown. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime and could be linked to a series of recent shootings at Asian-run businesses within the metropolis, police mentioned.

The victims, the salon proprietor, an employee and a customer, are all Korean, according to ABC affiliate station WFAA in Dallas. The ladies suffered nonfatal accidents and were transported to a local hospital, in keeping with police.

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

"Throughout our investigation, detectives discovered that two years ago Smith had a motorized vehicle crash with an Asian male," Garcia mentioned. "Since this crash, Smith has had panic attacks and delusions when he's round anyone of Asian descent."

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

"The Dallas FBI Area Workplace, the U.S. Attorney’s Workplace 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 area office in Dallas told ABC News on Monday. "We are in shut communication with Dallas Police and are partnering together to completely investigate this incident. As this is an ongoing investigation, we aren't in a position to comment additional at this time."

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

Two of the taking pictures victims – the owner and an employee – had been present on the assembly, based on WFAA. The worker spoke with the assistance of an interpreter and her was face covered. The ladies did not reveal their names.

Garcia mentioned that police proceed to investigate two other shootings that may be linked to the salon taking pictures.

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

The arrest comes days after Garcia introduced throughout a Friday press convention that regulation enforcement “concluded three recent shootings of Asian run companies may be related.” The suspect in every incident was driving the same car.

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

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

Police also launched a security picture of a maroon minivan they mentioned the shooter fled the scene in.

Garcia mentioned the capturing at the salon is likely to be linked to at least one that happened a day before and one that befell last month.

Police learned from witness reports that on April 2, a driver in a crimson minivan drove previous a strip mall of Asian-run companies and fired photographs at three companies. Nobody was injured.

And on May 10, a suspect in a burgundy van or car drove by and shot into Asian-run businesses close to 4849 Sunnyvale Street, police said.

“Out of an abundance of warning, we've reached out to our companions to make them aware of the potential connection and ask for his or her assistance,” Garcia stated. “This contains the FBI and member agencies of the Joint Terrorism Activity Drive. We are additionally working with North Texas police partners to determine if this criminal motion has or is taking place of their jurisdictions.”

Hair World Salon in Dallas, Could 12, 2022. A person opened fireplace contained in the hair salon in Dallas' Koreatown area, wounding three folks.

Garcia stated police shall be rising the presence of excessive visibility patrol officers in areas in the city the place there are giant Asian American populations.

“We're turning to each resident of the town of Dallas to keep an eye out and safeguard our metropolis,” Garcia stated. “Hate has no place right here.”

These incidents in Dallas come amid a spate of assaults focusing on Asian Americans across the nation, which spiked through the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABC's Jim Ryan stories:

ABC News' Bill Hutchinson and contributed to this report.