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Man indicted on hate crime charges for allegedly attacking victim with metal pipe in North Buffalo

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Posted at 2:45 PM, Apr 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-23 14:45:50-04

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office says a Buffalo man is facing hate crime charges for allegedly yelling racial slurs at a Black man and attacking him with a metal pipe in North Buffalo.

According to investigators, 34-year-old Thomas Schmieder Jr. was arraigned virtually Friday morning on one count of Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime (Class “C” felony) and one count of Assault in the Second Degree (Class “D” felony).

Schmieder allegedly pushed a woman to the ground after a brief verbal altercation on Chalmers Avenue in North Buffalo in June 2020, resulting in a witness allegedly pushing Schmieder away from the woman.

Schmieder is accused of calling the man who is Black a racial slur before pulling a metal pipe out of his bag and allegedly hitting the man in the head with the pipe.

According to the DA, Schmieder then ran away from the scene, allegedly yelling more racial slurs at the man.

The man was then taken to ECMC where he received multiple stitches for a laceration to the right side of his head and earlobe.

The DA's office also alleges that was allegedly found in possession of two bags of suspected fentanyl, one bag of marijuana mixed with suspected cocaine, and two Xanax pills, resulting in being charged with three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree (Class “A” misdemeanors).

Schmieder faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted on all charges.