HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston woman has been indicted on a hate crime charge after being accused of attacking a Korean woman inside her business, prosecutors announced Friday.
Authorities allege Keaundra Young, 24, repeatedly punched Jung Kim while she shopped inside Kim’s beauty supply store in Houston on March 17.
A grand jury on Thursday determined the alleged assault was motivated by racial bias and indicted her on a misdemeanor assault charge with a hate crime enhancement, said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. Young is Black and Kim is Korean.
“Houston is a place where people look out for each other, where neighbors help neighbors,” Ogg said. “Allegations like this, where someone would attack and terrorize another person because of their race is counter to the cultural diversity we embrace.”
If convicted, Young faces up to a year in the county jail if a judge or jury also finds she sought her victim based on race.
“We look forward to evaluating all the evidence and having our day in court,” said Jonathan Stephenson, Young’s attorney.
Young is also facing a felony aggravated assault charge for allegedly trying to hit one of Kim’s family members with a car.
Another woman has been charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly hitting a Kim family member with her hand. She isn’t facing a hate crime charge.
The indictment comes amid a rash of anti-Asian violence across the U.S. and following a March 16 mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of whom were women of Asian descent.