An elderly Filipino woman is the latest victim of anti-Asian violence in the United States after suffering 125 punches in the city of Yonkers, New York.
The unidentified 67-year-old woman was found bleeding in front of her apartment by authorities last week, police reported on Tuesday.
Security footage caught the assailant, identified as 43-year-old Tammel Esco, punching the victim at least 125 times on the head and face, stomping on her seven times and spitting on her.
Investigations showed that Esco was standing by the victim’s apartment building and shouted racist slurs at her, as he called her an “Asian bitch.”
The woman ignored Esco’s slur and continued walking towards the lobby when the attacker caught up her and knocked her down to the floor, before beating the woman up and hurling anti-Asian slurs.
The woman sustained brain bleeding, facial fractures and lacerations to the head and face, and was brought to a nearby trauma center.
Esco was taken into custody by authorities and was charged with assault and attempted murder as hate crimes. He is detained at a New York county jail without bail.
Police records showed that Esco had been previously arrested 14 times, and was reported to have substance abuse and mental health issues.
Advocates and supporters gathered at the Yonkers City Hall to condemn the attack and lobby for a US$64.5 million addition to the state budget in support of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).
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