Shooting at Koreatown hair salon may be a hate crime, Dallas police chief says
The shooting of three women inside a salon in Dallas could have been a hate crime, which may also be linked to a series of attacks on Asian-run businesses across the city.
While Police Chief Eddie Garcia initially said there was nothing to suggest the violence in the city’s Koreatown on Wednesday was motivated by hate, he told reporters on Friday that authorities have since uncovered information suggesting otherwise. All three people wounded by the gunfire inside Hair World Salon in a historically Asian district were Korean women — the salon owner, an employee and a customer, according to WFAA in Dallas.
They were each taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“The possibility that we are dealing with a violent gunman who is motivated by hate is chilling and deeply disturbing,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement.
Authorities on Saturday continued their search for the gunman, who was dressed in all black when he opened fire in the salon. He also drove a maroon minivan similar to a vehicle that was reported to be involved in two other recent shootings, including an April 2 drive-by in the area where the salon is located.
No one was injured in either of those shootings.
Garcia during a press conference on Friday announced that police would be increasing patrols, and they were reaching out to other police departments in North Texas to see if there have been any similar incidents in their area. He noted Dallas police have also reached out to the FBI to let them know about the spate of violence.
“We are turning to every resident of the city of Dallas to keep an eye out and safeguard our city,” the police said. “Hate has no place here.”
“We need to get this person in custody,” Garcia added.
With News Wire Services
