New York reported another tragic murder of Asian Americans on the 13th. Christina Yuna Lee, a 35-year-old Korean woman, returned to her Manhattan Chinatown residence from outside at 4:30 a.m. on the 13th when she was followed by a homeless man, who was then brutally stabbed in the bathtub. The 25-year-old suspect, Assamad Nash, then hid under the victim's bed. The police knocked on the door and refused to respond until the police forcefully entered and arrested him. New York Governor Huo Chu, Mayor Adams, and a number of elected officials have expressed concern about the case and condemned the continuous violent crimes against Asian Americans.
According to police sources, the victim, Christina Yuna Lee, took a taxi from the outside to her residence at 111 (Chrystie St) (near the Gran Street subway) in Manhattan's Chinatown at about 4:23 a.m. on the 13th. The suspect was quietly followed into the building. Since the owner installed surveillance cameras on every floor of the building, the scenes of the suspect following the victim were all recorded. The video shows that the victim did not turn around to check whether the door was closed after opening the door and entering the building, while the suspect followed in the moment before the iron door closed. And followed all the way to the sixth floor, always keeping a distance of one stairs from the victim.
At the moment when the victim entered his apartment and was about to close the door, the suspect quickly pushed the door and entered. A few minutes later, neighbors heard screams and smashing walls, and then called the police. After the police from the Fifth Precinct arrived, the suspect hid under the victim's bed and refused to open the door. Until the police explosion-proof personnel broke through the door, they found blood everywhere, and the victim was lying in the bathtub with multiple stab wounds. About an hour and a half later, the victim was pronounced dead.
After the suspect was arrested, the police verified that he had been arrested five times before, three of which are still pending trial, including the attack on a passenger in the subway near Chinatown several months ago, and the destruction of several consecutive crimes in January this year. Ticket vending machine at the subway station. However, due to the bail reform in New York State, the suspect is not currently in custody, but is on parole pending trial. The case has not yet been classified as a hate crime.
The victim Christina Yuna Lee's family is in New Jersey, and she herself graduated from Rutgers University with a major in art history. She is currently engaged in artistic work in a multimedia music company in New York, and has shot advertising videos for many fashion brands and artists.
After the incident, City Councilman Christopher Marte, who represented the Lower East Side and Chinatown, and State Representative Niu Yulin, Manhattan District Mayor Mark Levine, State Senator Liu Chunyi, Korean-American City Councilman Yuan Zhuli, and Chairman Yu Jinshan of the Chung-Hua Institute and others held a press conference near the incident site that afternoon to mourn the victims and condemn the endless cases of hatred and violence against Asians. Participants also unanimously called for an early solution to the spreading mental health crisis and homelessness.
"I heard the bad news this morning, just like everyone else," Mattai said. "While the case is still under investigation and the victim's identity has not been released, I know this woman is our neighbor. Like many residents of Chinatown and the Lower East Side, She lives in an old building. Like everyone, she should have the right to live and work in safety and to return to her apartment in safety and freedom. Unfortunately, her rights are not guaranteed. I am saddened by this , anger, and frustration. While I await police investigation, I call for immediate action to stop the violence, increase protections, and care for those targeted."
Mayor Adams issued a statement saying, "New Yorkers across the city and I mourn the murder of an innocent woman at their home in Chinatown last night, and we stand with our Asian brothers and sisters. The NYPD is investigating this horrific incident, I thank them for their swift arrest of the suspect. While the suspect who committed this heinous act is now in custody, the factors that led to his crime remain. The mission of this administration is clear: we will not let this Violence is out of control."
Governor Huo Chu also said that we have seen too much violence against Asian Pacific American New Yorkers in the past few months, and we must ensure that every community is safe.
As of the evening of the 13th, police officers were still collecting evidence in the building where the incident occurred. The owner of the building, surnamed Chen, told the media that the victim had just moved in for less than a year, and she was usually friendly. It was really distressing that she suffered such a misfortune.
The 23-unit, six-story residential building where the crime took place is located across from Roosevelt Park in Chinatown. During the epidemic in the park, many homeless homeless people gathered. After the incident, some homeless people even came forward to inquire about the incident. The suspect is said to be living in a homeless shelter on nearby Bowery Street. Most of the residents in the building where the incident occurred are not of Chinese descent. A young female resident said in an interview that it is not usually dangerous here, and there are many convenience stores around the downstairs - "The question is, why is this person who has committed a crime still allowed to roam the streets?"
