Asian American Attacks: Suspect Who Assaulted Oakland Leader Carl Chan Faces Hate Crime Charge
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Police in Oakland on Monday confirmed the charging of a suspect in connection with last week's hate crime assault on Chinatown Chamber of Commerce President Carl Chan.
On Monday, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office announced it had charged 25-year-old Oakland resident James Lee Ramsey in connection with the assault that happened on last Thursday on the 400 block of 8th Street.
Authorities confirmed Ramsey was charged with assault and battery causing great bodily injury, a hate crime and a parole violation.
An OPD source confirmed that Ramsey was the suspect in Carl Chan's attack and that he was on parole from state prison for criminal threats.
On Thursday afternoon, Oakland police responded to the 400 block of 8th
Street on a report of an assault. Officers located a male victim who had been
assaulted and who had sustained significant injuries.
Chan, who lives in nearby Alameda, was in Oakland to run an errand and then planned to visit a prior assault victim at their home when he was attacked on the street.
"I was making a turn and then the attack came so sudden. It was a cowardly attack, from behind," Chan told KPIX 5.
Chan was able to provide a description of the individual who had assaulted him. Officers checked the immediate area, ultimately locating the person responsible and arresting him.
Chan fell to the pavement, suffering scrapes and bruises and blacked out momentarily.
"It hurts more than it looks," Chan told KPIX 5.
During the attack, Chan said his attacker called him an ethnic slur and cursed repeatedly. "He did not rob me so it was basically, is just an assault; an attack," Chan said.
Chan told KPIX 5 that while he was on the ground, he took a picture of the suspect walking away, something which he has advised while educating the public about attacks against the AAPI community.
"I did what exactly what I told others. What I want to make sure everyone understands, when things happen to you, be calm and understand how to protect yourself as much as you could," Chan said.
Chan has organized multiple stop the hate rallies and even convinced Oakland Police to bring back the Chinatown liaison officer.