A Brooklyn man allegedly hurled racial epithets before stabbing black patron, he was having a verbal altercation with, with a fork.
Nicholas Melo, 34, allegedly accosted Akbar Salahuddin, 49, and his two female companions, in the Bridgeview Diner in Bay Ridge last November.
He used the n-word against Salahuddin and called the women “n—– loving b—–s,” before going to the bathroom, the criminal complaint said. When he returned, Melo allegedly punched the man and stabbed him in the head and back. Melo was formally charged with assault as a hate crime and other counts. He was released on $50,000 bail.
Melo’s attorney, Mario Romano, said the incident was provoked by one of the women who tossed a bottle at him.
