What you should know
- The man accused of smearing human feces on an unsuspecting subway passenger in February is now back behind bars.
- Frank Abrokwa was released following his arrest related to that vile attack, but was arrested and released again for an alleged hate crime dating back to September 2021, in which he allegedly accosted a Jewish man and cursed at him, threatening to kill him and trying to hit him before chasing him down the street.
- Abrokwa was being held on Rikers Island Monday night on charges of throwing a dumbbell, a type of barbell, through the window of a storage facility in Harlem. Investigators say Abrokwa also threatened a worker there on Thursday.
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NEW YORK — The man accused of smearing human feces on an unsuspecting subway passenger in February is now back behind bars.
Frank Abrokwa was released following his arrest related to that vile attack, but was arrested and released again for an alleged hate crime dating back to September 2021, in which he allegedly accosted a Jewish man and cursed at him, threatening to kill him and trying to hit him before chasing him down the street.
Abrokwa is also accused of an alleged theft of screwdrivers in the Bronx since February and has two pending cases in Manhattan. However, he had been released on supervised release earlier in the month, meaning he only had to periodically check in with a probation office as his court cases progressed.
But Abrokwa was being held on Rikers Island Monday night, accused of throwing a dumbbell, a type of barbell, through the window of a storage facility in Harlem. Investigators say Abrokwa also threatened a worker there on Thursday.
Earlier this month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Abrokwa shouldn’t have been on the streets and his statement “shows the scope of the changes we must make to keep New Yorkers safe.”
“It’s the result of a failed mental health system, a failed housing and support system, and failed criminal justice laws that allow someone with a history of violence who poses a clear threat to public safety to simply walk out of court.” said the mayor. he said. “We cannot allow this horrible situation to be the status quo and we must make changes to our laws to prevent these types of attacks, through intervention and support, and, when they do happen, to keep people who are clearly a danger for others on the street”.
The 37-year-old, who has been arrested at least 40 times, is due back in court in April.
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