California Police are investigating an assault on an Asian woman.
What We Know:
- Culver City Police Department (CCPD) has issued a press release saying that the victim was hit over the head with an unknown object. The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning. Authorities are currently attempting to deduce whether she was the victim of a hate crime.
- Officials have described the incident as an “assault and possible hate crime”. The suspect allegedly initiated contact by asking the woman for a cigarette. The woman refused to engage the man so he yelled a racial slur and struck her on the right side of her head. The attack caused the woman to fall to the ground.
- The woman was taken to a local hospital to be treated for her injuries. She suffered a “severe laceration to her right ear” but is expected to make a full recovery. The police have not caught the suspect and are still looking for people with any information regarding the incident to come forward. The suspect is described as a heavy-set white male with light-colored balding hair, about 35-years-old, and 5 feet 9 inches. He was seen running west on Washington Boulevard.
- According to data provided by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, hate crimes against Asians have risen 169% in the first quarter of 2021. Data shows that there have been 86 attacks against Asian Americans so far in 2021. Experts believe the coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China, is a possible reason behind the increase in Asian hate crimes.
The CCPD is asking anyone with information to call the CCPD Detective Bureau at 310-253-6300.
