OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – As Oakland’s Chinatown neighborhood experiences a spike in violent crime, one disturbing moment of an elderly man being assaulted was caught on camera.
On Jan. 31, around 12:13 p.m., the brazen attack happened at 8th and Harrison Streets.
Carl Chan with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce says there has been a disturbing number of attacks and violent crimes against the Chinatown community recently.
In a statement released, Chan says:
“This rash of deliberately targeted aggression has frequently been committed against some of the most vulnerable members of the community, women and seniors, which is especially upsetting.”
With the uptick in crimes, the Oakland Police Department says they are increasing patrols and resources ahead of Lunar New Year, which is in two weeks.
On Wednesday during a press conference, Oakland Police Captain Bobby Hookfin asked for assault victims to come forward, saying they may have a piece of information that can help solve other crimes.
“Assailants are preying on Chinatown because they’re under the guise that victims are not coming forward so that makes it easier for them. Let’s not do that. Let’s make it difficult for them and of course, under our current budgetary constraints we don’t have the money for overtime but that doesn’t mean to diminish the reallocated resources that I have working on straight time,” Hookfin said.
Emergency whistles were also distributed by the Chinatown NCPC to businesses help deter crime in the area.
