Tacoma police locate Asian couple attacked in hate crime, investigation moves forward
TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma police have new information in the suspected hate crime case in involving an elderly Korean-American couple.
Family members have identified the man seen being punched in the video. KOMO News learned the attack happened Nov. 19, 2020.
The video was posted to social media and Tacoma police said they got word of it Tuesday.
The daughter of the elderly Asian couple saw the disturbing video Wednesday and immediately contacted police. Detectives are trying to now follow up the couple.
Police said they are moving forward with a hate crime investigation thanks to the community's help.
Media outlets all across Puget Sound Thursday ---like Radio Hankook in Federal Way---helped spread the word-- that Tacoma Police has been trying to find the Asian elderly couple attacked.
Police said they had limited information about the attack and they needed the man and woman to come forward with more details.
Radio Hankook producer Enoch Choi said his station launched a new campaign Thursday to speak out against hate and hate crimes.
Cell phone video shows an older man in Tacoma punched several times as the woman with him yells for help in Korean.
“We have to speak out, our radio station, and we have to find them," Choi said. "And then we have to, we want to help them."
Community leaders, local organizations and the Korean consulate joined in the search for the Korean American couple attacked.
A consul member went to talk with Tacoma Police Wednesday for more information.
“Our Korean American leaders are calling for victims to be identified and for those responsible to be brought to justice,” said Hee Jung Lee with Federal Way Korean American Association.
Korean newspapers joined in the effort. An article in the Korea Times written by a Seattle editor Yang Joon Hwang highlighted the concern about the Tacoma hate crime. Another article was featured in the “seattle n,” a widely-read Korean American online publication.
“We all hugely concerned about this terrible assault and try to find, locate this victim,” Lee said.
Police revealed Wednesday evening the daughter of the couple saw the video and immediately contacted police about it.
Authorities connected the case to a report filed Nov. 19, 2020. The report said it was an assault involving two young black teen suspects. There was no mention of a racially motivated attack, according to Tacoma Police Department.
Detectives are following up.
Meanwhile, community members that launched the massive campaign to find the couple said the disturbing attack is a wakeup call.
“This kind of hate is not necessary here," said Patti Kim with Tacoma Korean American Association. "I live here so long my son live here so long. My son born here. It’s my home too. Everybody came here to united states. It’s a melting pot. Hate is something is so difficult for me to digest."
“I’ve been living in this area for well over two decades and I never felt unsafe in the public areas,” Lee said.
Law enforcement and community leaders said hate crimes often go unreported. Sometimes it's because of a language barrier or because of fear.
Police said there are ways to report the incident whether it’s through law enforcement or a partner community organization.
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