Boudin says Antoine Watson was . The family of a Thai senior citizen who died after being violently knocked to the . All rights reserved. Safety of San Francisco questioned after fatal attacks | KRON4 window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { Sliman Nawabi, a deputy public defender representing Watson, disputed the perception that the attack was racially motivated. who was violently pushed and killed by Antoine Watson in . 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.. Ratanapakdee's head hit the pavement as he fell. A photograph of Vicha Ratanapakdee that hangs in his daughters home. After her graduation, when Ms. Monthanus married and decided to stay in San Francisco, Mr. Vicha and his wife came to help raise their grandchildren. . Their marigold robes glowed in the sun. His death helped awaken the nation to a rise in anti-Asian violence. Ms. Monthanus says she and her family will charter a boat under the Golden Gate Bridge and scatter some into the Pacific Ocean. A representative for the San Francisco Police Department told FOX News that the agency is unable to confirm that the documents obtained by Lim are police documents. I just want to know why he did it. Or is this my trauma? Suspect In Deadly Assault Of 84-Year-Old San Francisco Man - CBS News He believes that the attacks on the elderly and the Atlanta shootings led more people to file reports. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Confronting anti-Asian violence, hate crimes, and killings in San A young man in a gas mask and a bulletproof vest said he had flown in from New York City after seeing the video. In November, another old man spat in her direction as her sons rode their scooters by the bay. The amulet, a precious family heirloom, will be passed to the next generation, Ms. Monthanus said. At the rallies they attended, every now and then a different Black man approached the microphone, or met with the couple on the sidelines, and tried his best to break the ice. The trust-building really took us 10 years, Wan says. San Francisco DA under fire after citing 'temper tantrum' for murder of Among the most alarming were the stories of a 57-year-old Asian woman who was pushed off a railway platform onto the tracks, and an 83-year-old Asian man who died from a head injury after being assaulted by a group of boys. Antoine Watson, with murder and 20-year-old female friend, Maylasia Goo . Amy Ratanapakdee thanked San Francisco police for quickly finding and arresting 19-year-old Antoine Watson and 20-year-old Malaysia Goo for her father's attack and subsequent death. The neighborhood of Anza Vista, tucked on a hilltop away from traffic, was usually quiet. He washed his face, put on a baseball cap and face mask and told his wife he would have the coffee she had prepared for him when he returned. ga('ads.send', { Ratanapakdee died after sustaining severe injuries. His killing came at a time when other disturbing images and reports were emerging from across the San Francisco Bay. Monthanus and Eric voted for him. San Francisco man to stand trial in death of Thai man, 84 - KCRA 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. Monthanus agreed, even as her worry turned to panic. She guessed he would have walked in a clockwise loop from their building she often suggested he take that route because it included an uphill stretch that would help him get some cardio. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! She found it hard to follow the legal vocabulary and felt bad asking Eric to explain terms and intricacies. Any time a family suffers a violent crime, a homicide in particular, theres questions, Boudin told me. }); pg.acq.push(function() { 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. When her mother saw the video, she stiffened. 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. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ But one day last year, while biking near her house, an elderly man shouted at her, You dont belong here. Another time, while walking around the neighborhood with her son, they waved and smiled at a young lady who was listening to music and dancing. Left, Mr. Vicha holding his young daughter next to his wife. The grandmother of a teen who senselessly pushed and killed a Thai grandfather has said her grandson should walk free. It was the first court appearance of 19-year-old Daly City resident Antoine Watson since he was arrested for the assault this past weekend. 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. 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. 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. She had learned small details about the suspect from her initial conversations with the police: male, 19 years old, African American. . Family believes attack of 84-year-old man in San Francisco was racial motivated. Please enter valid email address to continue. 84-year-old killed after horrific daytime attack - ABC7 San Francisco Im not a judge. A victims advocate assigned by the district attorneys office helped the couple apply for state reimbursement for the cremation, the funeral and other expenses. That week, on Feb. 4, the couple spoke with San Franciscos district attorney, Chesa Boudin, on a call. Im fine, even if hes in a wheelchair or doesnt wake up, she said. This image from CCTV footage shows the moment Vicha Ratanapakdee was fatally attacked in Anza Vista, San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO -- A suspect has been taken into custody following a deadly explosion and fire Thursday at a home in San Francisco's Sunset District that police said was being used as a clandestine drug lab.San Francisco police identified the suspect as 53-year-old Darron Price of San Francisco. Someone had been falsely claiming to reporters that he was Vichas son and spoke on behalf of the family about what would happen to his remains. Our seniors are afraid to walk their own streets, Mr. Chan said. Her father had been assaulted and taken to a hospital, a police officer said. A teenager in San Francisco was allegedly caught on video while bum-rushing an 84-year-old man, who later died as a result of the shocking daytime attack. The attack came with such a speed that Ratanapakdee was thrown backward and he landed on the pavement. After reading about an Asian American teenager in the Los Angeles area who was hospitalized in February after being bullied about Covid, Jeung contacted colleagues at two advocacy groups in California. But the steps were nearly empty. Then the flood came. Less than 24 hours later, a spokesman for the Cherokee County sheriff reduced the rampage to the act of a sex addict having a really bad day; then it was revealed that the same spokesman reportedly promoted T-shirts calling the coronavirus an IMPORTED VIRUS FROM CHY-NA. The rage boiled over. But her mind swirled with bigger questions. Man accused of murdering Thai grandfather in S.F. had run-in with Im going to take care of you. She told her husband, Eric Lawson, who rushed home from the restaurant where he worked. A nurse came in and explained that the surgeon hadnt been able to stop the bleeding. He was arrested along with Maylasia Goo, 20 . 84-year-old San Francisco resident Vicha Ratanapakdee was the target of the brazen and unprovoked daytime attack last Thursday morning. Three days later an attacker shoved a 91-year-old man in Oaklands Chinatown to the ground, another video that rocketed around the internet. February 8, 2021 / 3:17 PM 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. A former public defender, Boudin was part of a new wave of progressive prosecutors who entered office the year before with the promise of reform. No one helped him because they thought he had Covid, Jeung says. DA Boudin Faces Another Round of Outrage Over 'Temper Tantrum - SFist According to the San Francisco District Attorney's office, Watson had been observed and contacted by San Francisco Police officers earlier that Thursday morning for traffic infractions resulting in a minor collision. We were like, Is this a hate crime? He was like, I cant talk about this, Eric says. The stories filled Monthanus with questions. Rallies on anniversary of death of Asian victim of violence | cbs8.com We are one of the worlds fastest growing He died shortly after being rushed to a hospital. She thought about her father in the back of the car with the kids, their banter when she got ready for work in the morning. He always told me that if something happened to him, this must be passed on to grandchildren, she said. Thats when I was like: This is more than some kind of accident or robbery or assault. Police pulled over and handcuffed Antoine Watson hours before he allegedly killed an 84-year-old Thai man in San Francisco's Anza Vista neighborhood last year, according to a timeline that . 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. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) The two men arrested in connection with an attempted robbery that lead to the death of famed San Francisco private investigator Jack Palladino are expected to face murder charges, prosecutors said Tuesday. . Before sitting down, he glanced toward the back of the room and smiled when he recognized a young man. A San Francisco judge has ruled that a man accused of killing an 84-year-old Thai grandfather will stand trial. She worried how the exposure affected her sons. The whole family is in deep agony, Jennifer Steiner, a longtime friend whom Antoines mother chose to speak on her behalf, told me. Family outraged over San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin's description of He ordered one after Vichas death, along with a few cans of pepper spray and security cameras he installed around their apartment. Eric said the photo, which was taken from behind and does not show a face, made the person look hateful. Grandpa Vicha's Case Proceeds to Trial With Murder Charge let gads_event; San Francisco (BCN) . 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. These shifts werent always visible, but they were there beneath the influx or exodus, beneath the mistrust and grievances, beneath what each person, Black or Asian, took away from the images of attacks flooding the news. Activists Protest 'White Supremacy' After Black Man Arrested For Attack Officers discovered an 84-year-old man lying on the sidewalk, rendered aid and summoned medics to transport the victim to a hospital for life-threatening injuries. Monthanus and Eric had been busy arranging her fathers funeral while fielding phone calls and messages from family, friends and strangers. Monthanuss body went numb. Two hours later, Antoine finally entered the room. The hearing was brief and procedural; a trial date has yet to be set. 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 and her parents subscribed to a Buddhist belief that, after death, the soul takes 100 days to reach the afterlife. But the overwhelming majority of hate-crime perpetrators are white.). It was then that Mr. Vicha walked up Anzavista Avenue, a street with views of skyscrapers in the citys financial district. pg.acq.push(function() { Eric also busied himself with emails to architects and building managers in Chinatown, where he was planning a mural a few blocks from the Dragon Gate. Its like being bullied. Grandmother of teen who killed elderly Thai man says - Resonate Police later identified the suspect as Antoine Watson, 19. Man accused of fatally shoving Vicha Ratanapakdee enters preliminary gads_event = event; SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The suspect in the brutal assault that fatally injured an 84-year-old San Francisco resident last week entered a not guilty plea to a homicide charge during a court appearance Wednesday. He died shortly after arrival in the hospital. One month after the Atlanta shootings, a white gunman killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. Body camera footage of the encounter led police to identify him. A monk leaned over and gently shook Vichas ashes into the lapping waves. Market data provided by Factset. After the attack, as her father lay on the ground, a couple driving by stopped to place a blanket on him. Watson and his associate, 20-year-old Malaysia Goo, were arrested on January 30 without incident. A photograph of Vicha Ratanapakdee that hangs in his daughters home.CreditKevin Kunishi for The New York Times. My wife and I thought, Could it be? Jeung recalled. 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. Most of the victims were Asian.. His orange jumpsuit fit loosely over his tall frame, chains linking his wrists, his hair growing out. He Came From Thailand to Care For Family. The submissions came from 31 states and the District of Columbia, with nearly half the reports originating in California and New York. After her sons Zoom classes on Jan. 28, Monthanus began to worry about where her father was. A witness told the police they heard a voice shouting, Why you lookin at me? twice before hearing Ratanapakdee, prosecutors said. Antoine turned around and smiled again, until the door closed on him. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. 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. Why was no one intervening? Watson is accused in the deadly attack of Vicha Ratanapakdee in the city's Anza Vista neighborhood on January 28. On Jan. 15, he received the first shot of the Moderna vaccine. He had just gone to dinner with a few relatives visiting from Beijing. Mom, you know what? He left his home because of a family dispute and got in a traffic accident in San Francisco at 2 a.m. Preliminary Hearings Begin in Murder of Elderly Anza Vista Man, Packing Owners of gun stores reported more Asian customers than ever before. eventAction: 'load' The footage is grainy and brief: A tall figure suddenly darts across a street and slams into a much smaller one; the smaller figure crumples onto the pavement and doesnt get back up; the white baseball cap flutters to the ground, like a leaf falling from a tree.