Good Samaritan is shot twice but survives after stepping in to stop two armed muggers robbing women in Oakland Chinatown
A Good Samaritan has been shot twice and survived after he bravely stepped in to stop two armed robbers from stealing purses from two women before they casually sauntered back to their getaway car.
Horrifying footage shows the armed men in dark ski masks targeting two couples in the Chinatown neighborhood in Oakland near San Francisco, California.
Screams could be heard as the suspects grabbed the two women's handbags while one man in their group, identified only as Mr. Chan by local media, tried to retrieve his girlfriend's bag back.
But in the process, Mr Chan was pistol-whipped by one of the attackers on Saturday in broad daylight as he appeared to be hit in the head with the weapon.
Upon seeing the carnage unfold, a brave bystander who was walking nearby sprang into action when he heard the women screaming.
Video footage shows the moment the Good Samaritan was shot in the left armpit and right thigh before he fell to the ground.
Horrifying footage shows the armed men in dark ski masks targeting two couples in the Chinatown neighborhood in Oakland near San Francisco, California
Screams could be heard as the suspects grabbed the two women's handbags while one man in their group, identified only as Mr. Chan (in the white top) by local media, tried to retrieve his girlfriend's bag back.
Upon seeing the carnage unfold, a brave bystander who was walking nearby sprang into action when he heard the women screaming. Video footage shows the moment the Good Samaritan (on the ground) was shot in the left armpit and right thigh before he fell to the ground
In another video posted on social media, a police officer can be seen holding the bystander's arm tightly in an attempt to stop the bleeding before medics arrived
The man, who has not been named told ABC7 News that he is recovering in hospital and hopes to be home by Monday evening.
Mr Chan, speaking about the attack, told the news outlet: 'They pulled their shirts up and showed they have guns under their pants.'
The suspects quickly drove off in their car and police have not made any arrests yet.
In another video posted on social media, a police officer can be seen holding the bystander's arm tightly in an attempt to stop the bleeding before medics arrived.
Speaking about how he intervened, Mr Chan added: 'I don't regret what I did I don't recommend if this happened to other people to get involved in that way you don't know who brought guns or if they have knives.'
The suspects quickly drove off in their car and police have not made any arrests yet
Mr Chan was pistol-whipped by one of the attackers on Saturday in broad daylight as he appeared to be hit in the head with the weapon
Gary Tan, the founder of Initialized Capital, shared footage of the attack on Twitter and said: 'Brazen broad daylight robbery in Oakland Chinatown yesterday 2PM Look at the getaway driver: casual.
'This is organized, this is repeating, and if we say nothing we sponsor it. Our Asian American communities are under constant attack by repeat offenders.'
The recent attack comes after a spate of recent attacks in San Francisco against the Asian community.
'People are very angry about what they are seeing,' Charl Chan, of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, told NBC Bay Area.
'I think the legal system has been failing. Because we have seen many criminals, they have got caught,' Chan said. 'But guess what, if not the same day, then the next day, they are released.'
Jay Bounphengsy, who is the head of volunteer group Asian front-liners has been patrolling the neighborhood.
'I got kids. My friends, they all got families to worry about too,' he told the news outlet. 'But at the same time, enough is enough, we're going have to step it up for the community.'
The incident comes amid a surge in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans and Asians living in the United States.
Anti-Asian hate crime reported to police in 15 of America's largest cities and counties, rose 169%, from 32 to 86, in the first quarter of 2021 in comparison to the first quarter of 2020, according to an analysis of official preliminary data by the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.
In March, Vilma Kari was walking to church in midtown Manhattan when Brandon Elliot, 38, approached her, knocked her to the ground and kicked her repeatedly
For instance, Asians form 35% of San Francisco's population. In the first quarter of 2020, the number of reported hate crimes went from five to 12 which is an increase of 169%.
Similarly, 14.5% of New Yorkers are Asian. The number of filed reports went up from 13 to 42 which leads to a total of 223%.
At least 11.6% Angelenos in Greater Los Angeles Area are Asians. The number of cases has gone up from five to nine which is about 80% increase. In Boston, Asians form about 9.7% of Bostonians. Their number of reported crimes has also gone up from five to eight which is about 60%.
Brandon Elliot kicked Vilma Kari to the ground and hit her repeatedly after yelling a racial slur at her in Manhattan. He was out on parole for murdering his own mother at the time
Josephine Zhao, one of the members of Chinese Democratic Club in San Francisco, said she is very angry that 'Criminals are treated better than Asian seniors and asked who is not doing their job'.
In March, Vilma Kari was walking to church in midtown Manhattan when Brandon Elliot, 38, approached her, knocked her to the ground and kicked her repeatedly.
Elliot kicked her to the ground and hit her repeatedly after yelling a racial slur. He was out on parole for murdering his own mother at the time.
In another incident in the same month in San Francisco, Xiao Zhen Xie said she was standing at a traffic crossing on Market Street on Wednesday when a man punched her in the face.
The 76-year-old grabbed a stick to defend herself and began beating the man. She then lunged at him again while he was being taken away on a stretcher.
In May, an Asian dad was punched in the head 14 times in an unprovoked attack while pushing his toddler's stroller through San Francisco in broad daylight.
The 36-year-old father, who identified himself as only 'Bruce', was walking his baby in Mission bay neighborhood of San Francisco on Friday afternoon when a man came up to him and punched him from behind.
He was seen on surveillance footage getting knocked to the ground and blocking the 14 blows to his head and back as his son's stroller slowly rolls away. When his attacker backs off, the father is seen protectively running to his son's stroller while pedestrians and customers look on in shock.