Earlier that week, two more videos emerged from New York City of a man in Times Square stomping on a woman on her way to church; of a man punching and choking another man on the J train. Video shows shocking assault that left 84-year-old San Francisco man District Attorney Chesa Boudin Announces the Filing of Charges in Two "These violent assaults have a devastating impact on our community as they are part of an alarming rise in anti-Asian American hate during the COVID-19 pandemic," Stop AAPI Hate co foundersManjusha Kulkarni and Cynthia Choi said in a joint statement. An assailant, later identified by police as 19-year-old Antoine Watson, came barreling . In February, two joggers, women, yelled something about germs at her older son as he played on a dock with a friend. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. March 3, 2023 12:27 pm ET. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), eventAction: 'render' One witness at the scene told officers that he saw a Black male, 18 to 30 years old, approach and stand over an elderly man lying on the ground. San Francisco police say their suspect Antoine Watson, 19, attacked the senior along Anza Vista and Fortuna Avenues Thursday morning. Suspect In Brutal Assault That Killed Elderly San Francisco - YouTube . Monthanus and Eric voted for him. Patrol officers' body camera footage of the encounter led officers to later identify Watson as the suspect in the murder of Ratanapakdee. Even without much publicity, we have already received a strong response from the community, who want their voices heard, Jeung wrote in the groups first report. She wanted to be strong for her sons, but she had trouble sleeping at night and broke into tears unexpectedly. Safety of San Francisco questioned after fatal attacks | KRON4 He ordered one after Vichas death, along with a few cans of pepper spray and security cameras he installed around their apartment. Monthanus pulled him close, from behind; she didnt want him to see her crying. She worried how the exposure affected her sons. Left, Mr. Vicha holding his young daughter next to his wife. The segment ran with Vichas photo and the headline Family of 84-Year-Old Killed in S.F. A witness told police officers that Mr. Watson said something to the effect of What are you looking at? A security camera located inside a neighbors apartment captured Mr. Watson charging across the pavement toward Mr. Vicha, who briefly turned to his assailant before the impact. Grandmother of teen who killed elderly Thai man says grandson - reddit ga('ads.send', { arrested and chargedwith murder and elder abuse. Allen Martin reports on the first court appearance by the 19-year-old suspect who fatally assaulted an 84-year-old San Francisco man last week (2-3-2021) },false) Breed spoke of the shock she felt seeing the brutal assault of Ratanapakdee on video and offered her sympathies to the family. Grandpa died as a result of Antoine not being arrested for reckless driving, he said, and then not having proper services to come out and talk to him while hes out here yelling all morning., He thought about Antoines family and something his friend once told him, about how when his son had issues with another family, he would meet with them to talk about it. Security footage showed the assailant R She thought about Antoine, knowing there were people in his life who loved him. Mr. Nawabi described Mr. Watson as someone who had struggled with anger. It also encourages those agencies to raise awareness about the impact of hate crimes and the services available to victims. As the Lunar New Year approached in February, hundreds of people went out to protest the attacks. San Francisco News, Weather, Safety, Sports - NewsBreak hitType: 'event', Elderly Thai man in San Francisco killed by teen in - Coconuts Watson entered a not guilty plea to charges of murder . Initial investigation by SIT/General Crimes Unit identified the male suspect as 19-year-old Antoine Watson of Daly City and the female associate as 20-year-old Maylasia Goo of Daly City. That week, on Feb. 4, the couple spoke with San Franciscos district attorney, Chesa Boudin, on a call. Police officers issued him a citation. For Mr. Vicha, who stood 5 feet 6 inches and weighed 113 pounds, the attack was fatal. One witness at the scene told officers that he saw . According to the San Francisco District Attorney's office, Watson had been observed and contacted by San Francisco Police officers earlier that morning for traffic infractions resulting in a minor collision and was issued a citation. Im fine, even if hes in a wheelchair or doesnt wake up, she said. San Francisco police have arrested 19-year-old Antoine Watson of Dale City on suspicion of murder, along with Malaysia Goo, 20, for allegedly serving as an accessory after the attack. In the months since her father died, she and Eric had spent so much of their time at rallies, at court or on the phone with reporters and lawyers. It looked like blood, but she wasnt sure. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ Wheres Grandpa? Troy asked her. Watson allegedly carried out the deadly attack on senior citizen Vicha Ratanapakdee in the city's Anza Vista neighborhood on January 28, 2021. A witness told the police they heard a voice shouting, Why you lookin at me? twice before hearing Ratanapakdee, prosecutors said. She shut the laptop and told Titus to leave the room. Antoine turned around and smiled again, until the door closed on him. One month after the Atlanta shootings, a white gunman killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. When her mother saw the video, she stiffened. Hi! he shouted over and over. SAN FRANCISCO (CN) Following shockingly brutal attacks that left two elderly men dead last week, San Francisco officials on Tuesday sought to dispel perceptions that the city is soft on crime under the administration of a progressive, reform-minded district attorney. At a vigil in Madison Park in Oakland the week after the Atlanta shootings, a mother stood with her young son, holding a sign with Vichas face on it. After her father died, Monthanus had given up her night job processing customs paperwork for an import-export company to help watch the kids. Suspect arrested in deadly attack on 84-year-old man in San Francisco eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Vicha had lost so much blood by then that even if a second operation succeeded, he would almost certainly lose his most basic functions for the rest of his life. Monthanus wondered at first, her mind thick with shock. She lowered her head and opened her palms to touch the rug three times. VIDEO: Teen brutally knocks down elder in deadly unprovoked attack More than 500 days after the incident, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Darwin ruled that the evidence presented by the District Attorney's Office is enough for a murder trial. Another witness said he heard a voice yelling: Why you looking at me? At Watsons bail hearing, Nawabi said he recognized the racial overtones of the case, but added, This false narrative that this is a targeted attack on the Asian community or an elderly man is misleading and prejudicial. He asked the court to order a neuropsychological evaluation and proposed releasing Watson to home confinement, where his family could look after him, along with requiring therapy and counseling, so that Watson wouldnt become another statistic in the criminal-justice world.. She heard him say severe trauma. The officer said she would have to call the hospital to find out more. In several prime-time interviews, including on Nightline and CNN, Eric went on to suggest that Vichas death was not a random outlier but a result of one race targeting another. Members of the department's arson task force took . A test soon showed that they had H1N1, a common strain of influenza, and their symptoms subsided within a week. Monthanus gave the nurse her fathers name, his medical-record number and his six prescriptions, which included a high dose of blood thinners. Who is Antoine Watson? First published on February 8, 2021 / 3:17 PM. Surveillance video showed Ratanapakdee walking in the driveway of a home when the suspect barrels him into the victim violently, knocking him to the ground before the suspect casually walks away in the same direction he came from. CALIFORNIADA RESPONDS TO ATTACKS AGAINST ELDERLY ASIANS, AS ACTIVISTS CLAIM CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC TO BLAME, A spokesperson for Boudin clarified that his comment was made "regardingMr. Watsons behavior prior to the murder" and that Boudin "charged the killing of Mr. Ratanapakdee as a murder, the most serious crime on the books.". Family outraged over San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin's description of The killing of Vicha was so plain as day, said Will Lex Ham, a New York-based actor, who after watching the video flew from New York to San Francisco to help lead protests and safety patrols in Asian neighborhoods. He graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelors of Science in Television-Radio. They have any language to help anybody.. Another person claiming to be Vichas son had set up a fund-raiser in his name. She turned around to my son and said, Eff you, little boy. Each incident left her in shock and compelled her to attend the vigil. In a New York Times article, Boudin says Antoine Watson was having "some sort of temper tantrum," a term more often used to describe toddlers, ABC7 reported. The Thai grandfather had just survived his heart surgery 9 months before, and his doctor told him to walk daily for his exercise. Then the flood came. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { Surveillance video from a camera across the street captured the moment of impact. Kevin Kunishi is an American photographer living in Oakland, Calif., who is known for creating long-form projects that explore aftermath, trauma and identity. The amulet, a precious family heirloom, will be passed to the next generation, Ms. Monthanus said. The submissions came from 31 states and the District of Columbia, with nearly half the reports originating in California and New York. I want to know why, she said. Its not because we feel bad, Monthanus told me one evening while sitting on the bed where her father used to sleep, Titus playing video games nearby. Family of 84-year-old killed in SF believe attack was racially motivated Can I see my father? she asked. Update: Suspect In Brutal Assault That Killed Elderly San Francisco Man Being found guilty of a hate crime would not extend such a sentence significantly, but the designation has always symbolized more to victims and their families: the difference between calling out prejudice and denying it. Thats when I was like: This is more than some kind of accident or robbery or assault. ga('ads.send', { Horror! 84-Year-Old Man Dies After 19-Year-Old Goon Bum-Rushes Him on I know its not a scientific poll or whatever. The responses confirmed a thought in his mind all the same. There were several violent crimes in San Francisco on Thursday, the article began. He was booked on suspicion of murder, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon. Mr. Vichas cremated remains have been placed in two urns. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The question is: Does it prevent things like this from happening again? She continued: Regardless of the laws intent, how its received is, This is disingenuous, because were using the same tools to fix the problem. In the Bay Area, where Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up a quarter of the population, stories like Vichas sparked at least two opposing narratives. Police say their suspect Antoine Watson, 19, attacked the senior along Anza Vista and Fortuna . ga('ads.send', { Often, the natural human response is to want someone to blame for the pain that youre experiencing. He added, Although our system is pretty effective at processing cases and punishing, were not effective at providing the kinds of answers to families in pain and need to feel a sense of closure, or to be able to move on with their lives after suffering often unthinkable harm., Most states 48, as well as the District of Columbia have laws addressing hate crimes that are motivated by a victims race, religion or sexual orientation, among other classifications. She could see that Vichas death meant something bigger than her own grief, that he was part of a history that preceded her and a future she could help shape. Knowing what happened with SARS, how Asians were going to get shunned, harassed, he says, referring to the 2003 outbreak, I was just personally and sociologically alerted to racism., Jeung set up search alerts for Asian American and discrimination. The results confirmed his fears. Rallies on anniversary of death of Asian victim of violence | cbs8.com Grandmother of teen who killed elderly Thai man says - Resonate Three monks carried piles of orchids and roses, a framed photo of Vicha and a forest green box holding his remains. The spokespersonnotedthat, if there were such documents, police could and would not be able to release them due to the incident being under an active homicide investigation. Let it go. Considering him being 19 or even older now, he is no longer a child and is capable enough to keep his hands to himself. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. When we go to the beach we can dream that he is with us., She plans to bring the other urn back to her fathers hometown in southern Thailand, where the local Buddhist temple has a stupa that holds the familys remains. On the corner where Vicha paused in his steps, theres a view of the bay and the skyscrapers downtown. Now that Mr. Vicha Ratanapakdee has died of his injuries, prosecution for this murderous hate crime is the only path to justice and community safety. Later, as more information trickled in, Eric changed stolen vehicle to a car disabled by an earlier hit-and-run; he also replaced thug with adult male, after watching an episode of S.W.A.T. in which a Black cop explained the words racist undertones to his partner. Antoine grew up in San Francisco and spent part of his childhood with his siblings, parents and grandparents in the Anza Vista area, where Vicha later lived. Why did this happen? eventAction: 'click_adunit' What kind of person would do this? He left his home because of a family dispute and got in a traffic accident in San Francisco at 2 a.m. concluded that the gunman, who killed himself after the shooting, had not acted out of bias or a desire to advance an ideology, but suffered from a mental illness and had committed suicidal murder. The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group, published a statement asking the bureau to clarify how and why it ruled out bias as a motive: Though law enforcement has said this investigation is over, for all the families who lost loved ones, the survivors, the Sikh community and anyone else impacted by hate violence, these questions will remain forever.. Monthanus wailed softly. The incident was caught on camera, galvanizing the national Stop Asian Hate movement. A monk leaned over and gently shook Vichas ashes into the lapping waves. In addition, she obtained police documents that claimed toshowWatson "on surveillancegoing to a BMW after the crime retrieving a cell phone & walk back to Ratanapakdee & appear to take photos of him as he was dying.". gads_event = event; (His mother is Mexican, and he identifies as mixed race; strangers often assume he is white. His mother, who was also laid off from her job during lockdown, found work through relatives in another state and was, for a while, supporting the family from afar. Antoine Watson arrested assault w/deadly weapon & elder abuse. Even inside the anti-Asian-hate movement, every expression of grief and resolution differed. In each instance, the bystanders appeared to do nothing. In the next life, I hope Ill get to be your daughter again. Anyone can read what you share. 'Very open to the idea': Julia Wandelt takes DNA test to verify if she is missing Swiss girl Livia Schepp, Kayla Lemieux: Teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts suspended WITH PAY after pics show her dressed as man, Michael Schneider: Psychic detective gives '100%' verdict on whether Julia Wandelt is Madeleine McCann, Lindsay Clancy case: Psychologist reveals psychosis red flags family members could have spotted, 'I'd be horrified if my kids did that': Internet slams eight-year-old's pregnant mom for enabling 'disgusting' behavior. Amanda Nguyen, a prominent activist, shared Sernoffskys report in a viral Instagram video, along with two others, one about a 64-year-old Vietnamese woman who was robbed in San Jose and another about a 61-year-old Filipino man whose face was slashed with a box cutter on the New York subway. }); The number of submissions grew steadily throughout the year, reaching a total of 2,800 by the end of 2020. She knew what he would say if he were here now. Last year Ms. Monthanus, Mr. Vichas daughter, was twice accosted on the street by people who told her to leave the country because, the attackers said, Asians had caused the coronavirus.