Filipina elderly suffers serious injuries after racial attack in US
By Kaela Patricia Gabriel
PHOTO: NBC News |
New York Police on Wednesday arrested a man convicted of killing his mother over brutal stomping on a 65-year-old Filipino immigrant who suffered serious injuries in NYC Times Square.
The female victim identified as Vilma Kari, who was beaten through kicking and stomping, has been released from the hospital on Tuesday with serious injuries such as fractured pelvis while the suspect was apprehended for several charges.
The video of the incident on Monday, where the suspect was seen kicking and stomping Kari, went viral and sparked outrage from the Asian community as reports of racial harassment increased over the past few weeks.
The bystanders on the surveillance video released by the New York Police Department (NYPD) also received backlash as they were seen doing nothing to help Kari.
Department of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday, took to Twitter his sentiments regarding the incident, saying this will affect the country’s foreign policy.
“This is gravely noted and will influence Philippine foreign policy. I might as well say it, so no one on the other side can say, “We didn’t know you took racial brutality against Filipinos at all seriously.” We do,” Locsin wrote.
NYPD on March 31, said they took Brandon Elliot, the 38-year-old suspect seen on the attack footage, into custody.
He was also faced with the charges assault as a hate crime, attempted assault as a hate crime, assault and attempted assault as a hate crime as prosecutors seek to put Elliot behind bars without bail and may be in prison for 25 years if convicted.
According to the cops, Elliot had records of robbery in 2000 and murder in 2002 and was released from prison two years ago on a lifetime parole.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington advised Filipinos in the United States to be cautious as incidents of racial attacks spike.
In March, a 59-year old Filipino-Chinese was also attacked in San Francisco while a 61-year old Filipino in February was slashed in the face on a train in New York City.
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