A 43-year-old man who “viciously” and repeatedly assaulted a woman of Filipino descent in Times Square in New York, in 2021, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday.
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg sentenced Brandon Elliot to 15 years in state prison for assaulting Vilma Kari on a Midtown sidewalk in 2021.
Last year in December Elliot pleaded guilty in a New York State Supreme Court to one count each of assault in the first degree as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, the statement from Mr Bragg revealed.
“Brandon Elliot assaulted a 65-year-old woman because of her Filipino descent,” Mr Bragg said.
“This attack has left lasting fear and anxiety for the victim and many in the AAPI [Asian American Pacific Islander] community. I hope the closure of this case will allow the victim to continue healing and moving forward, while also sending a strong message that we will seek full accountability for anyone who commits violence against their fellow New Yorkers because of their race or ethnicity.”
On 29 March 2021, at about 11.40 in the morning, Elliot approached the then 65-year-old woman on the sidewalk of West 43rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues and yelled at Ms Kari: “F*** you, you don’t belong here.”
Ms Kari was on her way to a church.
He then proceeded to kick her in the torso, knocking her to the ground and then continued to kick and stomp on her head and body. When a man intervened to help, Elliot threatened the man with a knife before fleeing the scene.
Ms Kari was taken to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured pelvis, forehead contusions, and contusions across her body.
Elliot was arrested two days later.
Ms Kari wrote to NBC News in an email then: “I feel that there is now more awareness and consciousness that has developed after my…
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