Photos via official Capitol Hill Photo, Flickr, NY Senate Media, official portrait, Twitter, NYC Council (L to R)
March 6, 2023 By Michael Dorgan
A group of Queens lawmakers have condemned an alleged racially-motivated attack on a woman and her son in Corona last week.
The legislators — U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, State Senators Michael Gianaris and Jessica Ramos, Assembly members Steven Raga and Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, as well as City Council Member Shekar Krishnan – issued a joint statement Monday, March 6, denouncing the suspects for their “utterly reprehensible” beat down of the two victims, who are of Filipino heritage.
Elmhurst residents Cecille Lai, 44, and her son Kyle Lai, 24, were kicked and punched in the head by three suspects — a woman and two men — who had gotten out of a white Acura SUV near the Junction Boulevard 7-train station at around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 2, according to police.
The female suspect also threw water at Cecille Lai and one of the suspects yelled out an anti-Asian slur, police said. It is unclear what exactly was said.
The victims were transported to area hospitals in the immediate aftermath of the incident where they were treated for head injuries, according to the NYPD.
“We condemn this heinous act of xenophobia and violence,” the lawmakers said in a statement. “The incident involved the use of explicit anti-Asian slurs and physical violence, which is utterly reprehensible.”
The elected officials said they were deeply saddened and concerned to learn about what happened to the pair, and they vowed to stand up against such hate-filled acts.
“We stand in solidarity with Cecille and her family during this difficult time,” read the statement. “Within our role as elected officials, we remain firmly committed to combating hate and bigotry in all its forms and ensuring that everyone in our community is treated with respect, dignity, and kindness.”
The lawmakers said they have been in close contact with the victims and their family, as well as with community organizations and the 115th police precinct.
Cops said that the three suspects fled the scene in the SUV after the attack.
The NYPD released a photo and video of the alleged assailants on Saturday, March 4.
No arrests have been made and the incident is being investigated by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force.
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