Police are now searching for a man suspected of attacking a Filipina health care worker in Los Gatos, California on Tuesday, March 30, the latest in the recent string of violent attacks against Asian-Americans in the Bay Area.
Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Chief Peter Decena described the 40-year-old victim as a "medical hero” and was wearing scrubs during the attack.
The victim was walking near Los Gatos Boulevard and Garden Lane at around 5 p.m. when a man suddenly shoved her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground, and yelled “Go back to *expletive* China” before fleeing on his bicycle, according to Decena in a video posted on Youtube.
Police said the victim was not physically injured but was “obviously shaken.”
“As a person of both Asian and Pacific Islander descent, I have been watching with shock and dismay at the continuing acts of violence and hate being directed towards people who look like me,” Decena said. “It is happening all over the country. But I am here today asking for your help with a hate crime that occurred in our own town.”
The suspect was described as a white man with tanned or light skinned hispanic, wearing a black or gray bicycle helmet, a dark-colored neck gaiter, a black t-shirt with white writing on the back and dark-colored jeans. He was last seen heading southbound on Los Gatos Boulevard.
Decena stressed the importance of victims reporting hate crimes to the police
“I know from experience that many Asian-Americans, and especially our seniors, are often reluctant to report crimes against them. We need to make sure that our family and our friends understand how important it is to report these incidents,” he said.
Investigation is ongoing.