Man Charged for Allegedly Attacking Connecticut Lawmaker After Muslim Prayer Service
HARTFORD, Conn.—A Connecticut state lawmaker was attacked as she left a Muslim prayer service, and a fellow worshiper chased and held the man until police arrived, authorities said.
Rep. Mayram Khan was with her sister and her children on the morning of June 28 outside the XL Center, an arena in downtown Hartford, where they had attended the service, along with about 4,000 other people, marking Eid al-Adha, the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage by Muslims to Mecca.
The man made obscene remarks, grabbed Khan, hit her and threw her to the ground, said Farhan Memon, the chair of the Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. She suffered minor cuts and bruises.
Andrey Desmond, 30, of New Britain, was detained by another worshiper until police came. He was charged with assault, unlawful restraint, breach of peace, and interfering with police. It isn’t yet clear whether he knew Khan was a legislator. Police said more charges could be filed.
Desmond was arraigned on Thursday while awaiting arraignment. No pleas has been made.
Khan, a Democrat from Windsor, won a special election for a seat in the Connecticut House in March 2022. She did not immediately return phone calls and email messages Thursday.
