A Brooklyn flower delivery man has been indicted for a horrific acid attack that occurred five years ago, with prosecutors saying he later bragged about the crime in a song posted to YouTube.
Terrell Campbell, 29, was charged Tuesday with first-degree assault for allegedly throwing sulfuric acid on Nafiah Ikram as she walked up her driveway in Elmont, Long Island in March 2021. The attack left the pre-med student with second and third-degree burns to her face, arms, and throat, according to Nassau County prosecutors.
“The past five years have not been easy on this young woman. She survived the attack, but that was the beginning of a long, painful journey of recovery filled with unanswered questions,” said District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly in a statement.
What makes the case particularly disturbing is that Campbell, an aspiring rapper who uses the name YungBasedPrince, allegedly referenced the attack in a song called Obsidian posted to YouTube in 2023.
“I’m discreet in the night, like a hitman assassin,” Campbell rapped in the video. “Try to run up and have your face burning, acid.”
Prosecutors said Campbell “brazenly used the attack as material to further his rap career.”
Investigators were led to Campbell through community tips and digital evidence. His cell phone reportedly contained searches for “sulfuric acid remover,” “sulfuric acid on car seat,” and “can you recover from sulfuric acid burn.” He also allegedly searched for news about the attack.
The victim, who attended the press conference announcing the indictment, has undergone multiple surgeries and skin grafts since the attack. She suffers from limited vision in one eye and has required regular esophageal dilation procedures to help her eat and breathe normally.
Campbell has pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison. He is due back in court on February 18.
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