An unidentified assailant attacked an elderly Asian man sitting inside a laundromat in the Nob Hill-Chinatown area, as seen in video footage.
The incident occurred on February 23 and is the latest in a series of brutal crimes targeting Asian Americans in the Bay Area and across the United States. The violent attack took place two weeks after 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, a Thai man, was killed after being brutally attacked in broad daylight in San Francisco.
Brutal Attack
In the video footage, three men could be seen looking at the victim, who was seated in a chair by the entrance of the laundromat. The suspects walk into the establishment as one immediately kicks the elderly resident and forcefully pulls him out of his seat. A second individual then pins him down by his legs.
The three suspects then search through the victim’s pockets and are accused of stealing hundreds of dollars. The whole incident occurred in a matter of seconds before the suspects fled the scene.
San Francisco police spokesman Michael Andraychak said the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He said the identities of the three suspects were still unknown. However, police documents showed that individuals might be connected to a series of auto thefts.
“These acts of violence targeting our Asian community members are no accident,” the San Francisco police union said. The group is offering a $2,500 reward to anyone who could provide useful information that could lead to the arrest of the three suspects, the San Francisco Gate reported.
“Our office denounces any violence against the AAPI community, and we condemn attacks on the elderly or vulnerable members of our community. We are continuing to collaborate with our justice partners and with leaders in the AAPI community to work on ensuring the AAPI community is safe,” District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Rachel Martin said.
Recently, the San Francisco police stationed more patrols in the region and provided emergency hotlines Chinese speakers could use. They are also urging the public for any information that could help the investigation.
