August 25, 2021
BROOKLYN, New York—Their names were Fufai Pun, Kheong Ng-Thang, and Tsz Mat Pun and they were savagely beaten to death on January 15, 2019, by 24-year-old construction worker Arthur Martunovich in Brooklyn, New York.
Chef Fufai Pun, 32, died at the scene. The restaurant manager, Kheong Ng-Thang, 61, died three days later and Pun’s uncle, chef, and co-owner Tsz Mat Pun, 50, died nine days later, on January 24.
A New York Times article at the time read “A Gruesome Hammer Attack Left 3 Asian Men Dead. Was It a Hate Crime?” On March 4, 2019, a Daily News article titled, “Man accused of killing three Brooklyn restaurant workers with a hammer in a bias-fueled, unprovoked attack found fit to stand trial.”
Why is it so hard to call it what it is? It’s a hate crime.
The hammer-swinging madman that is Arthur Martunovich stated to police upon his arrest that he was defending Chinese women with his buffet attack. He actually explained to authorities that he saw a movie about Chinese mistreatment of women and wanted to teach them [Asian men] a lesson.
Family and community members are demanding justice. Martunovich was supposed to face first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and second-degree murder as a hate crime. However, it’s now certain he won’t be facing any of those charges.
On August 5, Assemblymember William Colton stated a criminal court hearing decided Martunovich suffers from mental health conditions that “don’t warrant being convicted of murder,” reports News12.
Instead, Martunovich will be transferred out of prison and be treated for his mental health condition. It seems he’s not the type of person you punish and send to jail.
Family members of those murdered by Martunovich held a three-hour meeting with the Brooklyn District Attorney on Monday. All they can hope for now is that he’s sent to a high-security institution and have a minimum stay before he’s released and he will be released.
Feature Screenshots via ABC7 New York