A New York City woman stabbed a transgender man who had offered her a seat on the subway Christmas evening after declaring, “I don’t want to sit next to black people.”
Stephanie Pazmino, 30, was arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime, reckless endangerment and weapons endangerment after she used a 2-inch knife to stab 44-year-old Ijan DaVonte Jarrett.
Pazmino refused a seat after Jarrett kindly offered it to her on a southbound 4 train in Harlem. According to sources, Pazmino said in Spanish that she didn’t want to set next to black people.
“I got up anyway and said to her that she didn’t have to sit next to me,” said Jarrett, a hairstylist who on his way home. “I took a seat across from her and just forgot all about it.”
When Pazmino got up to leave the train, she started punching him, Jarrett said. He didn’t realize he was being stabbed, he said, until another man rushed in to help. During the attack, Pazmino slashed the victim in the face.
“I ran to the ticket booth to ask the attendant to call the police, she stated that she did, and that I should sit down. And I passed out after that,” Jarrett said.
Emergency responders took him to Harlem Hospital.
Jarrett said he didn’t know if he was also targeted because he’s transgender.