NYPD credits social media for helping arrest suspect in woman's attack

NEW YORK - The NYPD is crediting social media for helping them arrest a man wanted for the vicious attack of an Asian woman standing on a street in Queens. 

Video of the assault at around 2 p.m. Tuesday shows the man attempt to strike the woman, 52, with an object. The victim backs away as the object goes over her shoulder. The man then pushes her onto the sidewalk where she hits her head.

The NYPD shared news about the arrest on Twitter:  

"Yesterday, this incident went viral on social media & the community came through in response, sending a lot of good information to our @NYPDTips  hotline.   Today, our @NYPDDetectives  took that information & apprehended the suspect. Thank you to everyone who lent a hand. #OneNY"

Authorities charged Patrick Mateo, 47, of Queens, with assault and harassment. He was arraigned and released under supervision on Thursday, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office. He is due back in court in April.

Actress Olivia Munn, who shared a video of the assault in Flushing and said the victim was the mother of a friend, thanked the NYPD and the public for their efforts.

"Ohmygod you guys!!! I’m beyond grateful to all of you for caring and posting and retweeting and FINDING THIS GUY!!! I love you all so much. The Asian community felt your outrage and support and YOU GUYS DID THIS!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you."

According to Munn, the victim — a Chinese woman, 5 feet 3 inches tall — received 10 stitches following the assault.  

The woman's daughter, Maggie Kayla Cheng, in a post on Facebook, said her mom was pushed "with such force that she hit her head on the concrete and passed out on the floor."

RELATED: Asian Americans using social media to mobilize against attacks

Munn has been speaking out about an increase in crimes against Asian Americans across the country during the pandemic. Last week, she said in an Instagram post that she's found herself "at a loss for words at the rise of Anti-Asian hate crimes," which "have spiked since Covid and continue to increase."

"Hate crimes against Asians Americans have become so bad that in just the past week a 91-year-old Asian American was attacked from behind as he walked down the street in Oakland, an 84-year-old Thai American was murdered in San Francisco, a 64-year-old Vietnamese American woman was assaulted in San Jose and a Filipino American man was slashed in the face in Manhattan," Munn said in the post.

 With the Associated Press