ABC News April 27, 2021

Arrest made in brutal assault of 61-year-old Asian man in New York City

WATCH: Man arrested in violent attack of Asian man

Jarrod Powell, 49, was arrested in New York City for allegedly attacking and critically injuring a 61-year-old Asian man on April 23, the NYPD said Tuesday.

Police said they identified Powell from surveillance video that allegedly captured him repeatedly stomping on Yao Pan Ma's head.

The incident unfolded Friday night at 8:20 p.m. on the corner of Third Avenue and E.125th Street in Manhattan.

NYPD via AP
This April 23, 2021, image from surveillance video made available by the New York City Police Department shows an unidentified individual police who are seeking after a 61-year-old Asian man was attacked in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York.

Paramedics responded to the scene and Ma was transported to NYC Health & Hospitals/Harlem, where he remains in a coma.

Powell faces attempted murder and hate crime charges, police said. It's unknown whether Powell has an attorney, ABC New York affiliate, WABC, reported.

Mark Lennihan/AP, FILE
Rep. Grace Meng is joined by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at a news conference to discuss an Asian-American hate crime bill, April 19, 2021, in New York.

Powell told reporters that he didn't assault anyone and that the victim attacked him, when he was asked about the attack, WABC reported.

"This is not who we are as New Yorkers, and we will not let these cowardly acts of hate against members of our New York family intimidate us," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press release following the incident on April 25. "We stand united with the Asian American community which has always been an important part of our diverse identity as a state."

MORE: 61-year-old Asian man in critical condition after brutal assault caught on video

The assault comes during a string of violent anti-Asian attacks in New York City. The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is currently investigating the incident, according to the same press release.

On April 22, the Senate voted in favor of an amended bill aimed at combating the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, ABC News reported.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.