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

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

17 Could 2022, 21:08

• 7 min learn

Dallas police arrested a suspect in connection with the May 11 taking pictures of three ladies in a hair salon in the metropolis'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 in 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 women suffered nonfatal injuries and had been transported to an area hospital, in keeping with police.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia recognized 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.

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

The Dallas Police Department 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 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 advised ABC Information on Monday. "We are in shut communication with Dallas Police and are partnering collectively to thoroughly examine this incident. As this is an ongoing investigation, we aren't capable of comment further at this time."

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

Two of the capturing victims – the proprietor and an employee – had been present at the meeting, based on WFAA. The worker spoke with the help of an interpreter and her was face covered. The women didn't reveal their names.

Garcia said that police proceed to analyze two other shootings that could be linked to the salon taking pictures.

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

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

This photograph shows the inside of Hair World Salon in Dallas on Thursday, Could 12, 2022. Police are in search of a man who opened fire contained in the salon in Dallas' Koreatown area, wounding three folks.

Police stated they discovered from a witness report that an unknown Black male parked in what gave the impression to be "a dark colour minivan-type vehicle" on Royal Lane and then walked across the car parking zone and into the establishment, allegedly opening fire as soon as he entered the salon.

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

Garcia stated the shooting at the salon could be linked to at least one that happened a day before and one that passed off last month.

Police learned from witness reviews that on April 2, a driver in a pink minivan drove past a strip mall of Asian-run businesses and fired shots at three businesses. No one 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 Avenue, police mentioned.

“Out of an abundance of warning, we've got reached out to our companions to make them conscious of the doable connection and ask for their help,” Garcia said. “This consists of the FBI and member businesses of the Joint Terrorism Process Power. We are also working with North Texas police companions to find out if this legal motion has or is taking place in their jurisdictions.”

Hair World Salon in Dallas, May 12, 2022. A man opened hearth contained in the hair salon in Dallas' Koreatown space, wounding three people.

Garcia stated police can be increasing the presence of excessive visibility patrol officers in areas in the metropolis the place there are giant Asian American populations.

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

These incidents in Dallas come amid a spate of assaults focusing 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.