A suspect in an attack on an 88-year-old Asian American woman in San Francisco has been repeatedly denied help for mental health and housing services, say local activists.
KRON reports the Anti-Police Terror Project says for the past year it tried to assist suspect James Ramsey, 27, without success.
The news came out the same day SF Police Chief Bill Scott and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins condemned separate attacks on two Asian seniors including the one allegedly involving Ramsey.
RELATED: 2 elderly Asians attacked in California within weeks
“We want to be very clear: The attacks should never have happened,” APTP wrote. “This tragic systemic failure could have been prevented if the state had not completely abandoned Mr. Ramsey despite his serious needs, desire for help, and despite our repeated urgent calls for support.”
Ramsey is the same man convicted in the attack on Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce leader Carl Chan in 2021.
AFTP said it tried to get help for Ramsey after he completed his sentence for Chan’s assault, but that Ramsey was repeatedly rejected.
During a news conference in San Francisco’s Portsmouth Square, Scott and Jenkins says the latest two attacks do not appear to be motivated by hate. However, they vowed to bring the victim’s justice.
“We have to make it clear that we will not stand for this,” Jenkins said according to the San Francisco Standard. “I have to continue to make sure that we effectively prosecute these cases.”
Ramsey is accused of kicking and throwing his victim to the ground while she shopped for avocadoes in the Union Square area of San Francisco.
“Why would anyone kick an 88-year-old lady?” Annie Chung of Self Help for the Elderly said. “Hopefully, these bad guys will be put away for a long time.”
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