Man Sentenced In Attacks Against MD Asian American Businesses

BALTIMORE, MD — A man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with all but 30 years suspended for a series of May 2021 attacks against Asian-American business owners that prosecutors said were "steeped in hatred and prejudice."

Darryl Doles was sentenced after he pleaded guilty in September to two counts of attempted second-degree murder, assault and a hate crime following the attacks.

According to court documents, Doles was denied entry to an Asian-American business on May 2, 2021, because he refused to wear a required mask indoors. When a security guard at Linden Discount Liquors asked him to leave the store, Doles became angry, threw a lottery machine on the ground and kicked it before walking out of the store.

According to prosecutors, Doles returned to the business ten minutes later with a large piece of lumber and attacked the security guard who wouldn't allow him in.

After the store’s owner disarmed and removed Doles from the store, Doles "went on a rampage" and went to 40/40 Liquors at 2139 Pennsylvania Avenue. According to court documents, Doles walked into the store and kicked a display window before shouting, “F--- Chinese!”

Doles then walked about a block northwest and entered Wonder Land Liquors at 2045 Pennsylvania Avenue. Prosecutors said Doles entered the store and repeatedly kicked the display window despite the owner asking him to leave and calling 911.

According to court documents, Doles left the store but returned several minutes later when the owner of Wonder Land Liquors went to the store's front door to close and lock it for the evening. As she closed the door, Doles attacked her with a concrete block, prosecutors said. The pair fell to the ground, where Doles pushed her face into the ground and struck her three times in the head with the concrete block.

According to court documents, the owner's sister rushed to help her. Doles then struck both women repeatedly in the head with the cement block. Prosecutors said the women managed to take the block from Doles and push him out of the store before calling 911.

Police responded to the scene, and Doles was later located and arrested about six blocks from the store.

Doles wept in court as he was sentenced, the Baltimore Banner reported. According to the Banner, he repeatedly apologized and said he had been dealing with substance use disorder since he was 17.

“I accept responsibility for what I did,” Doles said. “But that’s not me."

In a statement following the sentencing, Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates described the crime as a "heinous act of violence."

"I want to thank the officers and commanders of the Central District for their thorough investigation and my Felony Division Team for delivering justice to these victims," Bates said.