March 14, 2022
NEW YORK CITY—A 67-year-old Asian woman was attacked as she returned home last week. A 42-year-old African-American male from Yonkers has been arrested on attempted murder as a hate crime and other charges for the vicious caught-on-camera attack.
Police responded to a call around 6:15 p.m. Friday for reports of a dispute and found the bloodied victim in the vestibule of her building. The suspect, identified as Tammel Esco, was still outside, reports NBC4 New York.
According to authorities, the Asian woman simply passed by Esco on her way home and he yelled a racial slur at her. She ignored him.
When the victim moved to open the second door to enter the lobby, Esco punched her in the head from behind, knocking her to the floor, then proceeded to punch her in the head and face more than 125 times, ghetto stomped her, and then spit on her.
The 67-year-old Asian woman suffered facial bone fractures, brain bleeding, multiple contusions, and lacerations to her head. She remains hospitalized and is expected to survive, according to NBC4.
Esco was taken into custody without incident at the scene and later remanded to the Westchester County Jail. Attorney information for him wasn’t immediately clear.
“Hate crimes are beyond intolerable in our city. I applaud our Yonkers Police for swiftly apprehending this violent criminal and removing him from our streets,” Mayor Mike Spano said in a statement Monday. “I expect the suspect to be charged to the fullest extent of the law for his heinous actions. I continue to keep the victim and her family in our thoughts and prayers.”
Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller called it one of the most appalling attacks he has ever seen.
“To beat a helpless woman is despicable and targeting her because of her race makes it more so,” Mueller said. “This defendant must be held to the maximum punishment allowed by law to send a clear message that hateful, violent behavior will not be tolerated in our communities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family, that she may make a full recovery.”
Feature Screenshots via NBC4