Foreign Exchange Teacher Randomly Attacked With Acid in Hawaii Left With ‘Severely Damaged’ Skin, Lungs

The suspect was released from jail just one day before he allegedly attacked the exchange teacher

A 25-year-old exchange teacher from Beijing was reportedly attacked with chemicals in what investigators believe was a random act of violence.

Danying Zhang, a visiting Mandarin teacher at the Maryknoll School in Honolulu, was walking down a sidewalk in the Hawaiian capital Tuesday night near a Planet Fitness when a man allegedly threw a liquid chemical on the front of her body.

She went to seek help from police and told authorities that she did not know the man, who was wearing a white face mask and a black hoodie, police said.

Shortly after Zhang reported what happened, she fell unconscious, according to reporting from the Star Adviser .

Police were able to track down the suspect, 29-year-old Sebastian Mahkwan. He had reportedly been in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center since October for unrelated drug and assault charges. He was released Monday, just one day before he allegedly attacked Zhang.

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