Asian woman, 75, sucker-punched by NYC man as anti-Asian hate crimes rise by 1,300%
QUEENS, NEW YORK CITY: In a shocking video released by New York Police Department, an unidentified young man was seen sucker-punching an elderly Asian-American woman. The horrific incident occurred in Queens, New York City, on Wednesday, May 26. Caught on surveillance footage, the attack is being dubbed as a hate crime and police are on the lookout for the suspect.
She was returning home from the supermarket when the violent attack took place, leaving her severely wounded. The 75-year-old Chinese-American woman ended up with a broken nose, a fractured eye socket and black eyes. Speaking to CBS2, her son later said, "She was just coming back from the supermarket and she had her shopping cart," adding, "It's kinda obvious. He punched her because she was an Asian lady."
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Watch the video of the incident here. The elderly Chinese-American woman has been a resident of Queens for over four decades. In fact, she resided in the same neighborhood where she was attacked on Wednesday, May 26. She had gone to the supermarket and was returning with her shopping cart when the attack took place.
The surveillance camera footage released by NYPD Crimestoppers shows the man in a green T-shirt and blue shorts, getting up from a sidewalk and walking in the direction of the woman. The next camera angle shows him confronting her, who can be seen dragging her large shopping cart. The suspect suddenly leans towards her to blow a sucker punch on her face, as she stumbles and falls to the ground. Her shopping cart also falls. Meanwhile, the suspect walks away nonchalantly from the scene.
According to the woman's son, who chose not to reveal his identity, she was helped by the people around who called an ambulance. She was later treated for her injuries at a nearby hospital and might need surgery. "She said people around were nice enough to help her call the ambulance. They came to pick her up and stuff like that, so I'm glad people around here at least stick up for each other," her son shared with CBS2.
Anti-Asian violence on the rise
According to New York Post, anti-Asian violence in New York City has seen a shocking rise of 1300 per cent since early 2020. In 2021 alone, around 86 instances of anti-Asian hate crimes have been reported to the NYPD authorities.
In March 2021, 38-year-old convicted killer Brandon Elliot assaulted 65-year-old Filipina woman Vilma Kari in broad daylight. He screamed anti-Asian slurs at her as he knocked her to the ground and kicked her repeatedly. The horrifying attack left Kari with severe head injuries and a broken pelvis. Elliot was sentenced in 2002 for murdering his own mother in front of his minor sister, but he was out on parole at the time of the racist attack.
Recently, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared the creation of P.A.T.H. (Partners Against The Hate), which allotted an increased $3M funding for protecting Asian and Jewish communities in the city. "We need to redouble our efforts to fight hate, and we've gotta work with outstanding community leaders and organizations to reach deep into the grassroots," de Blasio stated.