Brooklyn Man Charged in 52-Count Indictment, Including Hate Crime For Attacking Light Skinned Women In Williamsburg

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced yesterday that Khari Covington, 29, who resides in an East Williamsburg shelter, has been indicted on numerous charges of assault, strangulation, and burglary as hate crimes and other charges for allegedly attacking seven women in East Williamsburg. Covington allegedly selected his victims based on their gender and skin color, DA Gonzalez informed.

“This defendant’s alleged violent and unprovoked attacks endangered the women he targeted and caused widespread fear in the community,” District Attorney Gonzalez said in a statement. “I am committed to prosecuting all hate crimes where victims, including as alleged in this case, are targeted because of their gender, skin color or race.”

The defendant was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun and his bail was continued at $150,000. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. He was ordered to return to court on April 13, 2021.

The attacks caused widespread public outrage, not least over the NYPD response. NYPD initially arrested another man in connection with the attacks.