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Hate Crime Suspect Blames Friends For "Anti-White" Central Park Attacks
By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 1, 2014
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 1, 2014
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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Yesterday, a man was arrested and charged with hate crimes for "anti-white" attacks in Central Park last week. Suspect Edward Fall, 20, was charged in two incidents in which he and a group of people allegedly shot pellet guns at white joggers in the park. Fall gave up two of his fellow attackers to police, and blamed them for shooting people—and he also claims that they took bets on hitting targets.
Fall told police that his buddies 21-year-old Antwan Ross and another friend he called "Hollywood," were responsible for shooting people in Central Park on August 17th and August 18th. Fall also claims that Ross was responsible for using the pellet gun to shoot a man, a woman and a dog in a previously unreported incident this past Thursday in Hell’s Kitchen.
“I was in the park with Antwan, Hollywood and two girls. Hollywood wanted to see my BB gun. I gave it to him and he shot a man with it,” Fall told cops about the August 17th incident, according to a criminal complaint. The next day, the same thing happened: "I knew he was going to shoot someone with it, but I was tired of fighting with him," Fall told cops about the August 18th incident. “He hid behind a tree and shot a woman."
The 36-year-old woman, who had been jogging in Central Park near 60th Street and West Drive, later told cops she observed three male blacks and two female blacks laughing and making racist statements towards the victim including, "Fuck white people."
Then this past Thursday, Fall says he gave the gun to Ross, who shot a man, a woman and a dog with pellets on 12th Avenue at 43rd Street. "I gave Antwan the gun because it was his birthday," Fall said. "I thought he might shoot the water, but then I knew he was going to shoot people. He’s a good shot even when he’s drunk...I bet him $20 he couldn’t hit the dog."
Fall said he lost the bet. "Then he shot the girl. She turned around and looked, so the pellet must have hit her leg. Then he shot a man," Fall added.
Ross admitted to the attack: "Eddie gave me the BB gun and I shot it twice,” he allegedly told cops, admitting to striking a man and woman in the legs. “I've been hit by a BB gun before but from far away. It hurts. It can cut the skin and bruise you." Ross has been charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment. Cops say they are still looking for the other suspects in the attacks.
Tagged
antwan ross
central park
edward fall
hate crime
nypd
police
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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