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A homeless man on parole for life after serving time for killing his mother has been arrested in the brutal attack on Monday against a 65-year-old Asian woman in midtown Manhattan. Police said Brandon Elliot, 38, was apprehended at a hotel where he was staying and used as a homeless shelter. It’s near the site of the attack.
He was charged early Wednesday with two counts of felony assault as a hate crime, attempted assault as a hate crime, assault and attempted assault.
Numerous tips led to Elliot’s capture, police told CBS News, adding that Elliot was released from prison in 2019. Police were offering a reward of $ 2,500 for information leading to an arrest. There was no word in advance on whether the money would be allocated or to whom.
It was one of two new vicious attacks on Asians in the city and occurred amid a surge in hate crimes against Asians there and nationwide. Onlookers did nothing to help as victims of the last two incidents in New York City were attacked.
A CBSN special, “Asian Americans Fighting Prejudice: The Crisis Continues” airs Wednesday at 6/8/12 noon ET on CBSN. The hour-long special, hosted by Elaine Quijano, features panel discussions with Olivia Munn, Daniel Dae Kim, Cheryl Burke, and other Asian American celebrities and opinion leaders. Download the CBS News app on your phone or smart TV to watch it.
The attack on the woman happened outside a building on Sunday as she was on her way to church just before noon, CBS New York reports.
Surveillance video showed a man punching the woman to the ground and stomping on her several times before making anti-Asian statements, police said. Sources told CBS New York that he also told the woman “You don’t belong here” before running away.
The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries, police said.
The Asian Hate Crimes Police Task Force tweeted the video, saying in part, “The security guard of the cold-hearted building not only failed to help, but closed the door on the victim. “.
The Brodsky Organization, which manages the building, released a statement that a staff member who witnessed the attack was suspended while the incident is investigated.
The construction workers union issued a statement saying the staff member “called for help immediately.” He also urged the public to “avoid rushing to judgment while the facts are determined.”
“We unequivocally condemn all acts of hatred against the AAPI (Asian-American and Pacific Islander) community,” the statement read.
The other attack occurred on Saturday in a busy Manhattan-bound subway train at a Brooklyn station. Video of the attack on a suspected Asian man was shared by another passenger on TikTok and has been viewed millions of times.
Police are still looking for the unidentified attacker, who repeatedly punched the man and strangled him until he was unconscious. The attacker then slammed the man’s head against a subway seat before exiting the train.
A reward of $ 2,500 is also offered in this case:
New York police are trying a new strategy by placing undercover Asian officers in the city, notes CBS New York.
The Biden administration on Tuesday announced new actions in an attempt to address the rise in violence against the AAPI community. They include the reinstatement of the White House initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the creation of a COVID-19 equity task force, and a Justice Department initiative to respond. to anti-Asian violence.
According to the organization Stop AAPI Hate, approximately 3,800 hate crimes against Asian Americans were reported in the United States from March 2020 to April 2021. A recent study showed that former President Trump uses the phrase “virus” Chinese ”for COVID-19 has increased the use of anti-Asian hashtags on Twitter.
Earlier this month, a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, in a series of shootings at Atlanta-area spas. Dozens of people gathered in New York on Monday night for a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims of the shooting.
Over the weekend, thousands of people took part in protests across the country to raise awareness of the racial discrimination Asian Americans have suffered for decades, as organizers demanded legislative action to tackle the problem.
–Sophie Lewis contributed reporting.
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