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

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

17 Could 2022, 21:08

• 7 min read

Dallas police arrested a suspect in connection with the May 11 capturing of three women in a hair salon within the metropolis's Koreatown. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime and might be linked to a series of recent shootings at Asian-run businesses within the city, police said.

The victims, the salon owner, an employee and a customer, are all Korean, according to ABC affiliate station WFAA in Dallas. The women suffered nonfatal injuries and were transported to an area hospital, in line with police.

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

"Throughout our investigation, detectives discovered that two years ago Smith had a motorcar crash with an Asian male," Garcia stated. "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 Discipline Workplace, 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 office in Dallas informed ABC News on Monday. "We're in close communication with Dallas Police and are partnering collectively to thoroughly investigate this incident. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not in a position to remark further right now."

Police met with neighborhood members at a town corridor in Koreatown on Monday amid considerations for the public's security.

Two of the taking pictures victims – the proprietor and an employee – have been current at the assembly, in line with WFAA. The worker spoke with the help of an interpreter and her was face coated. The women did not reveal their names.

Garcia mentioned that police continue to analyze two other shootings which may be linked to the salon capturing.

"Presently, there have been no arrests on these circumstances," Garcia said, including that the investigation is ongoing.

The arrest comes days after Garcia announced during a Friday press conference that legislation enforcement “concluded three current shootings of Asian run businesses could also be connected.” The suspect in each incident was driving an identical car.

This photo shows the interior of Hair World Salon in Dallas on Thursday, Might 12, 2022. Police are looking for a man who opened hearth contained in the salon in Dallas' Koreatown area, wounding three folks.

Police mentioned they realized from a witness report that an unknown Black male parked in what seemed to be "a darkish colour minivan-type vehicle" on Royal Lane after which walked across the car parking zone and into the establishment, allegedly opening fire as quickly as he entered the salon.

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

Garcia said the capturing at the salon could be linked to at least one that happened a day earlier than and one which took place last month.

Police discovered from witness studies that on April 2, a driver in a purple minivan drove past a strip mall of Asian-run businesses and fired photographs at three companies. No one was injured.

And on May 10, a suspect in a burgundy van or automobile drove by and shot into Asian-run companies near 4849 Sunnyvale Avenue, police stated.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we've got reached out to our partners to make them aware of the doable connection and ask for his or her assistance,” Garcia stated. “This includes the FBI and member agencies of the Joint Terrorism Activity Drive. We are also working with North Texas police partners to determine if this criminal motion has or is going down 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 mentioned police can be increasing the presence of excessive visibility patrol officers in areas in the city where there are massive Asian American populations.

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

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

ABC's Jim Ryan reviews:

ABC News' Bill Hutchinson and contributed to this report.