Patrick Mateo, 47, was arrested Thursday (Image provided by 109th Precinct)
Feb. 18, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
A man has been arrested for shoving a small Asian woman to the pavement in Flushing Tuesday – following a borough-wide appeal to track him down that was led by actress Olivia Munn.
Patrick Mateo was arrested Thursday morning after a viral video showed him fling a 52-year-old woman to the ground following a verbal altercation near Main Street. The video, taken from grainy surveillance footage, has gained more than 250,000 views on Instagram.
Mateo, 47, has been charged with assault and harassment, according to police.
There were no charges against Mateo indicating that the crime was racially motivated. The victim’s daughter had claimed online that Mateo had used racial slurs leading up to the incident.
The 109th precinct announced news of the arrest on Twitter this morning and thanked the community for providing them with a number of tips in the investigation.
“A prime example of the community and the police working together for a safer New York City,” the post read.
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Actress Olivia Munn posted an image of the then unidentified Mateo to her Twitter page Wednesday and appealed to the NYPD and Queens residents to track him down. Munn said that she is a friend of Maggie Kayla Cheng, the victim’s daughter who initially posted the video.
The video shows Mateo throw an item at the woman outside New Flushing Bakery, located at 135-45 Roosevelt Ave., at around 2 p.m.
He then grabs the woman with both hands, pushes her a few steps backward and then aggressively flings her to the ground. Mateo then turns around and walks away.
The victim, police said, suffered minor head injuries and was transferred to Booth Hospital by EMS.
Munn thanked her followers for retweeting the image of Mateo that led to his capture.
“The Asian community felt your outrage and support and YOU GUYS DID THIS!!” she wrote.
“Thank you thank you thank you thank you.”
Ohmygod you guys!!! I’m beyond grateful to all of you for caring and posting and retweeting and FINDING THIS GUY!!! I love you all so much.
The Asian community felt your outrage and support and YOU GUYS DID THIS!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you ???? https://t.co/vo3ZiPGmb0
— O M (@oliviamunn) February 18, 2021
?APPREHENDED? Thanks to numerous tips from the community, the suspect in the violent assault of an elderly female on Roosevelt Avenue has been arrested. A prime example of the Community & the Police working together for a safer New York City. #YourCityYourCall pic.twitter.com/qtlVwCS7uS
— NYPD 109th Precinct (@NYPD109Pct) February 18, 2021
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