A 75-year-old Asian-American man was out for a walk Tuesday in Oakland, California, when he was pushed to the ground and robbed, according to The Washington Post.
“The victim is seriously hurt,” Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce President Carl Chan reportedly said. “It is not looking too good.”
“I am saddened to hear of yet another violent attack on the elders of our community,” Oakland Police Chief LeRonne L. Armstrong said, according to The Washington Post. “The trauma this causes has a ripple effect, on the victim, their family, and the entire community.”
A 75-year-old Asian American man was robbed, shoved on his daily walk. He’s seriously hurt, advocates say. https://t.co/f76KbpaRQS
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 10, 2021
Florence Williams, a homeowner in the area, saw the paramedics loading the victim into the ambulance and said that the victim is known for early morning walks around the neighborhood.
“Our police will investigate thoroughly to determine whether this was racially motivated or a vile crime of opportunity,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said.
The suspect was reportedly arrested later in the day Tuesday.
At least three other Asian-American seniors have been assaulted while walking through Chinatown in Oakland earlier in the year, The Washington Post reported. (RELATED: ‘Asian Getting Beat The F**K Up Today’: Former Gang Member Arrested For Threats Against Asian-Americans On Social Media)
Schaaf criticized the Oakland city council for a proposal to slash the police budget. Her comments came in February after a different man was shoved to the ground in Oakland’s Chinatown.