A man is facing hate crime charges for stabbing two teenage girls during a Christmas morning meal with their family at Grand Central Terminal in New York.

36-year-old Steven Hutcherson, who is Black, assaulted the two girls, aged 14 and 16, on Monday morning after he reportedly approached dining area staff, saying, “I don't want to sit with Black people. I want to sit with the crackers," according to a criminal complaint.

Once given a seat, he stood up, walked towards a table where the teens, who appeared to be white, were with their family, and stabbed the 16-year-old while shouting, "I want all the White people dead." The family panicked and tried to escape, and that’s when the man stabbed the other girl, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials told local news station ABC7NY.

Police quickly arrived and arrested Hutcherson, and both teens were transported to Bellevue Hospital. 

The 16-year-old experienced a collapsed lung after being stabbed in the back, while the 14-year-old was stabbed in the thigh. Both are currently in recovery.

The family was visiting New York City from Paraguay and the Paraguayan consulate is currently assisting them.

Meanwhile, Hutcherson is now facing hate crime charges with felony counts of second-degree attempted murder, first and second-degree assault, and first-degree attempted assault. Additionally, he faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child.

ncG1vNJzZmirk6e2sbzSp5ywq16YvK570q2mq6GVqHy1scSnqmarpJavo7HDZqanZZOdv6q%2F06aYrGWSrnqvsdZmsKiqm2K6orqMsJinrJmjtG7Dx6KrnmWgmryxuMRmm56ZlGQ%3D