Malaysia’s Home Office (Wisma Putra) has confirmed that one of the country’s nationals has died after a gruesome, racially motivated attack last week committed by a man who said voices in his head told him to do it.
Ng Tan Kheong, a restaurant owner in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, was declared dead by hospital officials over the weekend, succumbing to serious injuries sustained in an unprovoked attack. Wisma Putra is now making the necessary arrangements to return the body back to Malaysia.
Ng, a 60-year-old, and two of his employees at a seafood buffet restaurant, were attacked in front of patrons on Tuesday afternoon by the suspect, identified as Arthur Martunovich, who wielded a hammer and struck all three men. Both Ng and his chef died of the head and body injuries sustained, while the restaurant manager is still in hospital, in serious condition.
Martunovich, a 34-year-old Estonian immigrant, told police that he attacked the men — all three of Asian descent — after watching a Chinese film where men mistreated women. Witnesses report that the suspect told Hispanic employees to move out of the way, and that he did want to attack them — he was there to attack the Asian men only. He is currently being held at Kings County Hospital awaiting a psychiatric evaluation.
During his arrest, police say that Martunovich told them he felt compelled to carry out the crime after watching the unnamed movie, hearing voices telling him to carry out the attack, and also mentioned “space aliens.”
