UPDATE [02-03-2017 2:30 p.m. PST]:
“We are deeply concerned that a racially motivated hate crime may have taken place in the heart of Los Angeles’ Koreatown this week, and we urge the Los Angeles Police Department to take the allegation of an anti-Asian attack seriously, including speaking to additional witnesses. In this current state of heightened racial tensions and emboldened racial attacks, we need law enforcement to demonstrate that they take all such cases seriously and will thoroughly investigate.”
While the justice firm is currently connecting with the victim’s family, Asian Americans have been among the ethnic minorities targeted by violent attacks and harassment since Donald Trump was elected president. Victims are encouraged to contact the AAAJ to report any incidents or for more information.
On Thursday, the Asian community was shocked to see the result of a random violent assault on an 83-year-old Korean woman in downtown Los Angeles on Feb. 1 that was posted to Facebook by user Linda Lee who witnessed the event.
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According to the post, which has since been made private on Facebook, a Caucasian woman ran up to the elderly woman, hit her in the face with her fist and ran off, allegedly screaming “white power” as she attempted to escape. Good Samaritan bystanders chased the attacker and called the police who soon after arrested her. Initially, LAPD reported that the attacker’s name was Patty Garcia, but a fingerprint analysis confirmed her identity as 27-year-old Alexis Duvall. Duvall is currently being held on $50,000 bail for felony battery.
However, LAPD told us on Thursday afternoon that the incident was not currently being investigated as a hate crime. The part of the story where the woman yelled “white power”, which was propagated through social media, is officially a matter to be looked into by investigators.
Duvall was described by LAPD as being homeless, under the influence or mentally ill.
Well if you needed any evidence that this was more than likely a hate crime, one of the bystanders who chased down Duvall while waiting for police took a short video of her yelling a racial slur, then swearing, and then continuing to run away. Check it out below:
