Brian Chin, a 32-year-old Chinatown landlord, was charged with felony assault after a violent altercation with a homeless man near Chrystie and Grand streets in Manhattan. The incident, which occurred on Saturday night, left the man hospitalized with severe injuries, including facial and skull fractures that rendered him unable to identify himself to authorities.
- What happened: The confrontation reportedly began when Chin allegedly kicked the homeless man sleeping on a corner three times. The man woke up and both seemingly went their separate ways, but later returned to the location. CCTV footage reportedly shows the homeless man breaking a wooden chair and wielding a piece of it with a nail at the tip, which he swung at Chin. Chin then tackled the man, punching him repeatedly in the face and head until he was left motionless and bleeding.
- The aftermath: The homeless man was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains hooked up to a ventilator. Chin, who claims the man had been harassing people before the attack, may have been influenced by trauma from a previous incident involving one of his tenants, Christina Yuna Lee, who was murdered in 2022. Chin had previously spoken out about rising violence against the Asian community. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on Oct. 10.
