Margarita Madness At The Purple People Bridge : May 17th

Feds: Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Assaulting Asian American Student

While physically attacking the victim, Darrin Johnson said "You brought the 'kung flu' here...you’re going to die for bringing it."

Feb 29, 2024 at 12:31 pm

According to court documents, Darrin Johnson punched the victim on the side of his head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the bumper of a parked car. Photo: facebook.com/uofcincinnati

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A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in federal court on Feb. 28 to federal hate crime charges for the 2021 assault of an Asian American college student.

Darrin Johnson, 27, admitted to physically attacking an Asian American man on Calhoun Street at the University of Cincinnati on Aug. 17, 2021.

The Southern District Attorney's office said Johnson admitted to being motivated by the victim's race when he threatened to kill the man while saying, “Go back to your county," and, "You brought the 'kung flu' here...you’re going to die for bringing it."

According to court documents, Johnson then punched the victim on the side of his head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the bumper of a parked car. He lay bleeding there while Johnson continued his assault until two bystanders intervened and restrained Johnson.

“I remain steadfast in the belief that hate has no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “We will continue to use our federal law enforcement authority to investigate and prosecute hate crimes like the one committed by Johnson.”

The victim suffered an orbital contusion, facial lacerations and an acute head injury, according to prosecutors.

Before the federal hate crime charges, in October 2021, Johnson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and criminal intimidation for the attack. He was sentenced to serve 360 days in county jail. A federal grand jury indicted him on the hate crime charges that November.

Prosecutors said he could face an additional 22 months in prison.

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Madeline Fening

Madeline Fening is CityBeat’s investigative news reporter. Proudly born and raised in Middletown, she attended Bowling Green State University before moving to Austin, Texas where she dabbled in documentary filmmaking, digital news and bartending. Madeline then moved to Cincinnati to work for WCPO 9 News as an...