A suburban Chicago man has been charged with attempted murder and a hate crime after he allegedly stabbed a 79-year-old woman inside a grocery store because she was black.
Prosecutors say Pol Danilov, 26, told police that he attacked the victim on the morning of Oct. 10 at Walt's Food Centers in Homewood, Illinois, because her being elderly and black made her an "easy target," the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Danilov was arrested at the store, and a knife with a 5-inch blade was found in his possession. Prosecutors say he has a history of animosity toward African-Americans.
The victim was stabbed four times and suffered a punctured lung during the attack, according to the Associated Press. She is expected to recover.
Bail for Danilov has been set at $500,000.