PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 20, 2007

Contact: William J. Smith (718) 556-7150
William.Smith@rcda.nyc.gov

DISTRICT ATTORNEY DONOVAN ASKS ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO PROMPTLY REPORT POSSIBLE BIAS CRIMES

***D.A. Sends Letter to Staten Island’s Asian-American Churches to Allay Fears Following Virginia Tech Shooting ***

STATEN ISLAND, NY – Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. today announced that he has issued a letter to Staten Island’s Asian-American community leaders and churches asking their cooperation in promptly reporting possible hate crimes against their community.

The letter was issued in response to published reports of fears among the Asian-American community of retaliatory attacks following Monday’s shooting massacre of 32 students at Virginia Tech by a Korean-American student, Cho Seung-Hui.

District Attorney Donovan stated, “The purpose of this letter is two-fold: I think it is very important to assure our Asian community that law enforcement will be there if an ignorant individual seeks some sort of retaliation for the actions of one obviously deranged individual in Virginia, as well as to inform the greater Staten Island community that my office has zero-tolerance for hate crimes and offenders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows.

Anyone who is the victim of a possible hate crime is urged to contact their local NYPD precinct or the Office of the Richmond County District Attorney at (718) 876-6300.

-end-