NYC doormen who watched attack on Asian woman fired
'It is clear that required emergency and safety protocols were not followed'
The men who witnessed a woman being assaulted in New York City have been fired.
The Brodsky Organization owns luxury buildings in the city including the building an elderly Asian woman was viscously assaulted in front of last month. The company has decided to part ways with the doormen who stood by watching the attack without intervening, per NBC News.
The woman, Vilma Kari, 65, is of Filipino descent. She was attacked while on her way to church on March 29 by Brandon Elliot, 38, who officers say hurled anti-Asian remarks while beating her. The woman was left with a fractured pelvis.
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“While the full lobby video shows that once the assailant had departed, the doormen emerged to assist the victim and flag down an NYPD vehicle, it is clear that required emergency and safety protocols were not followed,” per a statement by the Brodsky Organization released on Tuesday. “For this reason, their employment has been terminated, effective immediately.”
Elliot was charged with two counts of assault in the second degree as a hate crime, and one count of attempted assault in the first degree as a hate crime.
He was on lifetime parole for fatally stabbing his mother and was freed from prison in November 2019. The suspect was living at a nearby hotel for homeless people.
“We are extremely distraught and shocked by this incident, and our hearts go out to the victim. We have been working with the AAPI civic community to reach her family, as well as to determine how best to support the fight against anti-Asian hate crimes,” the statement continued.
The video showed at least three people standing at the door watching the assault. One person is seen closing the door as the woman is on the ground injured.
The organization says it is retraining its staff in”regarding proper emergency response protocols as well as anti-bias awareness and upstander-bystander interventions.”
Rihanna recently joined a protest in support of ending Asian hate per theGrio.
Using her platform to stand up for social justice, Rihanna joined a “Stop Asian Hate” protest in New York City on Monday.
Known for her chart-topping music and successful business ventures, Rihanna is no stranger to activism. From utilizing her giant social media following to literally “putting her money where her mouth is” with generous donations, Rihanna never ceases to stand out and speak up.
In line with her track record, Rihanna was seen at the racial justice protest alongside her assistant, Tina Truong, who took to her Instagram Stories to share videos and photos of the singer.
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Starting early Monday morning, Truong’s Instagram showed her and the singer making signs for the protest. The creative signs featured sayings such as, “#StopAsianHate”, “Hate = Racism Against God” and “Everybody vs. Racism.” The later videos showed Rihanna dancing through the streets during the protest, holding her protest sign up high in the busy crowd of protesters.
In a fun video, a protester is seen “swapping Instagrams” with Rihanna. The video showed the “Rude Boy” singer typing in her Instagram handle into the protester’s phone. As her profile loads and the protester realizes it’s Rihanna’s account. He turned to her and asked, “Is that you?” before Rihanna burst into laughter.
As theGrio has reported, there has been a significant rise in Anti-Asian hate crimes, specifically since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. “Stop Asian Hate” protests have taken place across the country over the past month following the tragic spa shootings in Atlanta.
Additional reporting by Jared Alexander
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