Man Who Murdered His Own Mom Arrested for Beating Elderly Asian Woman
Mar. 31 2021, Updated 7:58 p.m. ET
The New York City man who viciously attacked a 65-year-old Asian woman near Times Square earlier this week has been arrested and charged, police said Wednesday.
Cops slapped 38-year-old Brandon Elliot with assault and hate crime offenses following his Monday assault on the woman, who was identified by police sources as Vilma Kari.
Per a spokesperson, Kari was discharged from the hospital Tuesday after being treated for serious injuries to her head and leg as a result of the brutal beating, during which officials say Elliot kicked Kari in the stomach, knocked her to the ground and stomped on her face several times – all while hurling anti-Asian slurs at her.
According to Jo-Ann Yoo of the Asian American Federation, "the assailant said to her, 'F you, you don't belong here.'"
The assault, which was caught on surveillance video, sent shockwaves through the country – not only because of the recent national surge in Asian hate crimes (NYPD reports there have been 33 hate crimes with an Asian victim so far this year), but also because several bystanders were seen doing nothing to stop the man or help the woman.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was one of thousands who expressed outrage over the video, calling the beating "absolutely disgusting and outrageous." He said it was "absolutely unacceptable" that witnesses did nothing to intervene.
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The property developer and manager of the building where the incident took place, Brodsky Organization, said it was aware of the incident and that the staff members who witnessed the account had been suspended pending an investigation. The organization also claims to be working to identify an unaffiliated delivery vendor who was allegedly also present during the attack.
As for the assailant, Elliot previously served 17 years in prison for murdering his own mother in 2002. He was released in 2019 and has been serving life on parole ever since.
According to a New York Police Department spokesperson, the court date for his latest charges has not yet been determined.