We matter, and racism is killing us. When a video emerged showing a 91-year-old shoved to the ground in Chinatown in Oakland, Calif., the actors Daniel Dae Kim and Daniel Wu posted a $25,000 reward for anyone who had more information on the suspect, tweeting, Remember Vincent Chin, who was beaten to death by two white men in Detroit in 1982. I want to know the truth. Police haven't said anything about a possible motive but they have arrested 19-year-old Antoine Watson and charged him with elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon and murder. For months Mr. Vicha had been pining to return to Thailand but was unable to because of the pandemic. Everyone fell silent. The streets were quiet. Eric said the photo, which was taken from behind and does not show a face, made the person look hateful. Antoine Watson, 19, has been held in County Jail since being arrested Jan. 30 for allegedly charging into 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee two days earlier in the Anza Vista neighborhood. He was booked on suspicion of murder, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon. After interviewing prosecutors across more than 30 states, Avlana Eisenberg, a law professor at Florida State University, found that district attorneys offices often avoid adding hate-crime charges even and perhaps especially when the crime is particularly horrific, she wrote in The Atlantic this year. Watson allegedly carried out the deadly attack on senior citizen Vicha Ratanapakdee in the city's Anza Vista neighborhood on January 28, 2021. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the country in more than a year. In an unprovoked attack, Antoine Watson, 19, charged at Vichar Ratanapakdee, 84, on Thursday during the senior's morning walk. . }); Fox News Flash top headlines are here. another video that rocketed around the internet. But inevitably they would get in the car with a poster of Vicha in the back. Whenever she left the house, she tested a can of pepper spray in the bathroom, the fumes burning her eyes, before tucking it in her pocket. Instead, he paused for a moment and turned right, as though whatever caught his eye made him decide to change course. Before his third heart operation, Vicha debated whether to go through with the procedure; he wasnt sure if he would make it. A few steps away, she noticed a dark stain at the end of a driveway. hitType: 'event', Its still there. They sailed toward the Golden Gate Bridge, the choppy waters jostling them as they chanted the Five Precepts. let gads_event; The San Francisco Chronicle reports supporters of the victim's family packed the courtroom wearing "justice for Vicha" t-shirts.. Video of the incident went viral and came to symbolize the spike in anti-Asian hate, although the San Francisco District Attorney . They also identified a female associate he was with at the time of the assault as 20-year-old Daly City resident Maylasia Goo. Watson is accused in the deadly attack of Vicha Ratanapakdee in the city's Anza Vista neighborhood on January 28. She watched him for several more hours, his hand in hers. Family believes attack of 84-year-old man in San Francisco was racial motivated. Monthanus and Eric voted for him. Four of the victims were Sikh, prompting calls to examine whether the gunman was motivated by bias. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { But leaders of the Bay Area Asian community say crime statistics are misleading because Asian-American residents, especially immigrants, often do not report assaults or robberies out of mistrust of the system or language barriers. "You will be held accountable by both the police and the District Attorney. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Through her organization, Hollins, who lost two brothers to homicide in the last decade, assists victims of crime and lobbies to increase support services provided by the state. Nawabi described the incident as an impulsive unmotivated assault that resulted from the mental-health breakdown of a teenager. There was no longer any way to ignore the violence that was happening to people who look like us, Mr. Ham said. After the funeral, Monthanus and Eric hired a therapist to help Titus he had not cried and seldom said anything about the episode. She is a 2021-22 Knight-Wallace reporting fellow at the University of Michigan and an inaugural recipient of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize. Several young people carried signs with an illustration of a 75-year-old Chinese woman who, a few weeks earlier, was punched by a white man and then fought back by whacking him with a wooden board. March 3, 2023 12:27 pm ET. He told Monthanus that when the time came, he wanted to be scattered in the bay, the place that became his home. A few hours after speaking with the nurse, a doctor called to ask permission to insert a catheter into a vein in his neck and drill a small hole into his skull, to release pressure from bleeding. There is absolutely zero evidence that Mr. Ratanapakdees ethnicity and age was a motivating factor in being assaulted, Nawabi said. The whole family is in deep agony, Jennifer Steiner, a longtime friend whom Antoines mother chose to speak on her behalf, told me. } Let it go. He's currently . There was no evidence depicted that the elderly man did anything to provoke the attack. The Department of Police stated that they identified Watson quickly. People use the "young teenager" label on him as an excuse to obviously protect him and his behavior. One hundred days after her fathers death, Monthanus boarded a boat with Eric, their sons and a few friends. February 4, 2021 / 6:00 AM if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ hitType: 'event', 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. San Francisco police say their suspect Antoine Watson, 19, attacked the senior along Anza Vista and Fortuna Avenues Thursday morning. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. It was then that Mr. Vicha walked up Anzavista Avenue, a street with views of skyscrapers in the citys financial district. 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. 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. A homicide detective gave his condolences and said they were planning to charge the attack as a murder. Your father is a victim. (Under California law, families of victims are eligible for work compensation only if a minor died or was hospitalized.). The amulet, a precious family heirloom, will be passed to the next generation, Ms. Monthanus said. 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. Body camera footage of the encounter led police to identify him. The future me, the real me, says, I wish we could forgive everybody, and everybody should acknowledge this bad thing happened. And right now it feels like, maybe, his family sees me as an enemy. (The data, though incomplete, show that hate crimes against Asian Americans were more likely to be committed by nonwhite offenders than those against Hispanics or African Americans. . But the overwhelming majority of hate-crime perpetrators are white.). Public safety is a lot bigger than the ability to arrest or prosecute someone, says Tinisch Hollins, who runs the advocacy group Californians for Safety and Justice. hitType: 'event', That Antoine was still young. There was barely a moment to grieve. By then, Boudin had told reporters that there was no evidence from the police suggesting that Vichas death was motivated by racial animus. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has sparked outrage on social media after telling the New York Times that 19-year-old Antoine Watson was "in some sort of a temper tantrum" when he . His 20-year-old accomplice who was in the car at the time was also arrested. But once he does, we should work out some kind of situation where we could forgive somehow and move on with our life. What made her father bleed out like that? After her sons Zoom classes on Jan. 28, Monthanus began to worry about where her father was. As Monthanus poured the water, she felt her breath shorten, bit by bit, until she was gasping for air. Family of 84-year-old killed in SF believe attack was racially motivated As he was escorted out of the courtroom, an older woman later identified as his grandmother shouted, "I love you Antoine! Footage of the incident showed Ratanapakdee hitting his head on the pavement before sliding into a garage door. 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. His wife suggested that he have some coffee first; he told her he wouldnt be gone for long, whispering so as not to wake the kids. His brothers and sisters are there, Ms. Monthanus said. By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ February 2, 2021. SFPD Makes Arrests in Anzavista Homicide 21-024 - San Francisco Police Crime data from the district attorney offices in San Francisco County and Alameda County, which includes Oakland, show that people of Asian descent were less likely last year to be victims of crimes than other ethnic groups. Around the same time as the Oakland rally, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who represents the Bay Area, and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) also denounced the "white supremacy . An uneasiness had hung over her ever since a mob descended on the Capitol early that month, though really, people had been acting crazy for a year. There was no longer any way to ignore the violence that was happening to people who look like us., Antoine Watson, a 19-year-old resident of neighboring Daly City, was arrested two days after the attack and charged with murder and elder abuse. I was like, There is something going on here. At the first few rallies they attended, Eric casually surveyed attendees, asking whether they had ever been spit on or pushed and what the race of the perpetrator was. District Attorney Chesa Boudin has said Goo was seated in the car and played no apparent role in the attack. But AAPI still attacked, deeper, deeper every day. Breed went on to say that she was appearing with both Chief Scott and District Attorney Boudin to say that violence in San Francisco would not be tolerated and that any perpetrators would "be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," especially those who targeted children or the elderly. A.Cecil Williams told The New York Times in an article about the 2010 protest. I just want to know why he did it. For his grieving family, the reckoning hasnt gone far enough. }); The Cost Of Raising Many Children Isn't Just About The Money She never got to decide. CONTACTS:. Ratanapakdeewas walking in the city's Anza Vista neighborhood on the morning of Jan.28 when he was violently shoved to the ground in whatBoudinreferred to as "a horrific, senseless attack". "I can't even imagine what his family is going through right now. New images have continued to surface on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. ga('ads.send', { Ratanapakdee was walking in the Anza Vista neighborhood of San Francisco on the morning of January 28 when 19-year-old Antoine Watson ran across the street and violently shoved him to the ground. This was the 70th. Rallies on anniversary of death of Asian victim of violence | cbs8.com Video footage shows the teen running at Ratanapakdee and pushing him over, knocking him to the ground. But her mind swirled with bigger questions. In the past week the California Legislature approved $1.4 million in funding to track and research racist incidents against Asian-Americans. Grandmother of teen who killed elderly Thai man says grandson - reddit Police said they were quickly able to identify Watson as the assault suspect. Its nonstop, you know? She thought about the people she had met at the rallies who had quit their jobs to patrol or speak out full time. As they waited for Antoines hearing to start, Monthanus and Eric watched from the front row of the gallery as the judge heard a series of other cases. stay inside. She clutched a few sheets of paper in one hand. The trust-building really took us 10 years, Wan says. 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. ga('ads.send', { She added thatRatanapakdee's family was "horrified" when she relayed the information. Confronting anti-Asian violence, hate crimes, and killings in San She tried calling it. In each case, the suspects were Black. Evan Sernoffsky reports. Monthanus was too emotional then. The day after Monthanus and Eric's first TV appearance, San Francisco's district attorney charged Antoine Watson, the 19-year-old accused of shoving Vicha to death, with murder and elder abuse . This unfortunate assault has to do with a break in the mental health of a teenager. This January, Vicha was eager to regain his stamina after a recent series of heart operations, so that he could walk again for longer distances. Rev. Why Was Vicha Ratanapakdee Killed? - The New York Times Monthanus and her parents subscribed to a Buddhist belief that, after death, the soul takes 100 days to reach the afterlife. Vicha Ratanapakdee, a Thailand native who his family says emigrated to America to . These stories have prompted continuous news coverage and social-media obsession, and beneath it all there lurks a desire to understand what is driving the attacks and how, exactly, race is playing a role. But what brought her out to the rallies, more than anything, was her desire for someone to answer for the loss of her father. Many are outraged after an 84-year-old Asian man was killed in San Francisco, and the District Attorney, Chesa Boudin, justified the actions of the killer. }); pg.acq.push(function() { In an unprovoked attack, Antoine Watson, 19, charged at Vichar Ratanapakdee, 84, on Thursday during the senior's morning walk. Her hope was for all people to work together, and not blame each other. Mr. Vichas second shot was scheduled for Feb. 12, an appointment he would not live to make. About an hour later, Mr. Vicha, an 84-year-old retired auditor from Thailand, was violently slammed to the ground by a man who charged into him at full speed. On the same day, Watson was apprehended at his home in Daly City along with 20-year-old Maylasia Goo . 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. She felt similarly snubbed after asking the advocate about applying for compensation for lost wages. Antoine Watson Arrest Record Details | Local Crime News in San Theres been a half-million deaths. It appears that the defendant was in some sort of a temper tantrum, Mr. Boudin said. When a sibling bullies another sibling, and then they go to school, and then they bully other kids, its like a chain reaction., Then there was Monthanus and Eric. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. In order to raise 10 children in the San Francisco Bay Area, we should assume Antoine Watson's parents make at least $300,000 a year. I wonder if its my inner racism coming out. He left his home because of a family dispute and got in a traffic accident in San Francisco at 2 a.m. (His mother is Mexican, and he identifies as mixed race; strangers often assume he is white. 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.". Video footage shows the teen running at Ratanapakdee and pushing him over, knocking him to the ground. We said, Dad, we are going to go back soon! Ms. Monthanus recalled. ALSO READ: Suspects Sought In Home Invasion Robbery Of Elderly Woman In San Francisco. At the first rally, a month earlier in March, several hundred people gathered here in support of her family. It was the second such march in a week; the first, in Oakland, California, also drew dozens of supporters, many of them carrying signs demanding that racism be stamped out, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Editor's note: In the wake of numerous incidents of anti-Asian assaults and increasing concern over violent crime in San Francisco, . San Francisco shocked by murder of two elderly men on the same day In San Francisco, where 36 percent of the population is of Asian descent, 16 percent of crime victims of known ethnicity were Asian, a similar situation to Alameda County. Monthanus gave the nurse her fathers name, his medical-record number and his six prescriptions, which included a high dose of blood thinners. San Francisco police arrested 19-year-old Antoine Watson days after the attack. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), We also identified his female associate as 20-year-old Maylasia Goo also of Daly . eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), For Sarah Wan, a community organizer who has been helping victims of violence in San Francisco, the debate brought back memories from 2010, when hundreds gathered outside City Hall to protest a series of similar reports. SAN FRANCISCO Weary of being cooped inside during the pandemic, Vicha Ratanapakdee was impatient for his regular morning walk. But the steps were nearly empty. On Jan. 15, he received the first shot of the Moderna vaccine. Ratanapakdee was on his morning walk last Thursday at around 8:28 a.m. in Anza Vista, San Francisco when Watson rushed towards the victim and pushed him to the ground. "Racism has once again proven deadly" An elderly Thai man was knocked down and killed by a teenager in San Francisco. Just who is it attacking Asian Americans? | Washington Examiner That afternoon, the couple taped their first interview, with the KTVU reporter Evan Sernoffsky, near the courthouse steps. },false) After the attack, as her father lay on the ground, a couple driving by stopped to place a blanket on him. Im not a lawyer. eventAction: 'render' Police . After the last court hearing, Monthanus called the victims advocate assigned to her by the district attorneys office to request a Thai translator. It was heartbreaking. He said she didnt want to go to court; she just wanted to bury it. She debated whether to show it to her mother, who had become more fragile after a recent stroke. Mourners have left flowers and condolences by a garage door at the spot where Mr. Vicha was attacked in the Anza Vista neighborhood of San Francisco. Lucas Manfredi is a general assignment reporter for Fox News. who was violently pushed and killed by Antoine Watson in . Man accused in street attack that killed 84-year-old Thai man in San There will be consequences. Will Lex Ham, right, and Max Leung, center, distributed information on how to report a hate crime in San Franciscos Chinatown this month. Why did this happen? Officers arrested Antoine Watson, 19, and his female companion . So we created our own website. (The California attorney generals office collects data on hate crimes in the state but not other cases involving verbal harassment, for example, which often dont constitute crimes.). Why was no one intervening? by Anh L. . Prior to joining Fox News' digital team in 2020, Manfredi worked for Fox Business' Making Money with Charles Payne as a production assistant. 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.. San Francisco District Attorneys office stated that Watson had been observed and contacted by San Francisco Police officers earlier that morning for traffic violations following a minor collision and was issued a citation. For weeks, Monthanus Ratanapakdee urged her parents to please. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The alleged killer is Daly City resident Antoine Watson, who was 19 at the time of the seemingly unprovoked sidewalk attack in the Anza Vista neighborhood. Antoine Watson appears in court during a previous hearing. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Believe Attack Was Racially Motivated., Vichas story joined a cluster of reports about attacks on Asian elders in four cities. Months before the country went into lockdown, Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University, came down with a bad case of the flu. Intravenous lines and electrode patches linked his body to a constellation of machines and bags of fluid.