NJ man stabs 18-year-old stranger for being white in Atlantic City, cop say

🔴 An 18-year-old white victim has been stabbed in the neck

🔴 A Black man is accused of asking why white people were there before attacking

🔴 The attacker dropped his wallet trying to get away, police said

ATLANTIC CITY — An 18-year-old Egg Harbor Township man is in the hospital after a racially motivated stabbing, according to police.

Tyler Smith, 38, of Atlantic City is charged with attempted murder, bias intimidation, aggravated assault, and weapons offenses for the "unprovoked attack" Monday evening, police said. Smith is Black, Lt. Kevin Fair confirmed to New Jersey 101.5.

Smith is being held at Atlantic County jail as of Tuesday morning.

Investigators found that the victim from Egg Harbor Township was standing with a friend on Adriatic Avenue near the Stanley S. Holmes Village housing units in Atlantic City around 6:15 p.m. when Smith walked up to them. It is believed Smith and the victim did not know each other, Fair said.

"Smith questioned why white people were allowed in the neighborhood before stabbing the victim," police said in a statement.

He stabbed the stranger in the neck and tried to get away, according to police. Bystanders who saw the stabbing tried to stop him from running, but he was gone when police got there.

However, Smith dropped his wallet during the struggle, which police said helped officers to identify him. Surveillance cameras also got Smith on camera trying to flee, police said.

An Atlantic City cop arrived soon after the struggle and provided medical care to the stabbing victim while waiting for an ambulance. The victim was then taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. His neck injury was serious but police said he should survive.

Later that night, another police officer saw Smith at the same hospital. He was arrested and charged.

State records do not show any previous violent offenses for Smith. He spent 147 days in jail for a heroin possession charge in 2005.

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