Employees suspended after not helping Asian woman during NY attack

Several employees at a New York City apartment building have been suspended after a now-viral video showed the staff failing to intervene as a man attacked a 65-year-old Asian woman. 

The Brodsky Organization, the property developer and manager of the building outside of which the attack took place, said in a statement on Instagram that the staff who witnessed the attack on Monday have been suspended while the company investigates. 

The organization added in the statement that it is also “working to identify a third-party delivery vendor present during the incident.”

“The Brodsky Organization condemns all forms of discrimination, racism, xenophobia and violence against the Asian American community,” the statement added.

The video shows a man approaching the woman outside of the building in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. He is seen knocking her to the ground before kicking her repeatedly.

WANTED in connection to an assault. On Monday, March 29th at 11:40 AM, at 360 West 43rd St, a female, 65, was approached by an unidentified male who punched and kicked her about the body and made anti-Asian statements. Have Info? Call or DM☎️1-800-577-TIPS. Up to $2500 reward. pic.twitter.com/6gb5NDCZCA

— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) March 30, 2021

At least three men inside of the building, who have not been publicly identified, can be seen either witnessing the attack or observing the woman lying on the sidewalk afterward. None of them are seen in the video intervening in the violence.

One of them appeared to close a door next to the woman after she was kicked to the ground.

Some of the men appeared to be security guards, according to reports. The Hill has reached out to the Brodsky Organization for comment.

During the incident, the attacker also “made anti-Asian statements,” according to the New York Police Department. Police officials are seeking information from the public to identify a man in connection to the attack. 

WANTED in connection to an assault. On Monday, March 29th at 11:40 AM, at 360 West 43rd St, a female, 65, was approached by an unidentified male who punched and kicked her about the body and made anti-Asian statements. Have Info? Call or DM☎️1-800-577-TIPS. Up to $2500 reward. pic.twitter.com/5Haz2ZHkdz

— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) March 30, 2021

The incident comes as violence against Asian Americans has spiked in the U.S. The nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate said earlier this month that it received nearly 3,800 reports of hate incidents against Asian Americas over the last year.

A spree shooting rocked the Atlanta area earlier this month after a gunman killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women.