Killing of Vicha Ratanapakdee
Part of racism against Asian Americans
Vicha Ratanapakdee
LocationAnza Vista, San Francisco, California, U.S.
DateJanuary 28, 2021
Attack type
Murder, assault
VictimVicha Ratanapakdee, aged 84
Filmed bySurveillance video
AccusedAntoine Watson and Malaysia Goo
VerdictSuspects awaiting trial
ChargesMurder, elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon

Vicha Ratanapakdee (Thai: วิชา รัตนภักดี, RTGS: Wicha Rattanaphakdi; 1936 – January 28, 2021) was an 84-year old Thai American man who was killed by being forcefully pushed to the ground in a daylight attack in San Francisco, California.

Killing

Ratanapakdee was walking in the Anza Vista neighborhood of San Francisco on the morning of January 28 when 19-year-old Antoine Watson ran across the street and violently shoved him to the ground. Ratanapakdee's head hit the pavement as he fell. He died shortly after arrival in the hospital.[1][2] The killing was captured on a CCTV camera across the street.

Suspects

Two days after the assault, Antoine Watson, a 19-year-old African American from Daly City, California, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and murder.[3][4] Watson pled not guilty.[5]

Malaysia Goo, a 20-year-old woman from Daly City, was also arrested as an accessory after the fact.[6][7]

Personal life

Ratanapakdee was born in Thailand (then known as Siam) in 1936, before emigrating to the United States.

Responses

Ratanapakdee's family has expressed the belief that the death was motivated by racism.[1] Ratanapakdee's death took place in the context of what some describe as a broader wave of racially motivated attacks and violences on Asian-Americans in the Bay Area and other parts of the nation.[8] Some authors have mentioned tensions between African-Americans and Asian-Americans as a result of this case and several others.[9][10]

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning to all Thais living in the United States to be alert against racially motivated hate crimes.[11]

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin called the crime "heinous" but thought, according to the evidence, that the attack wasn't racially motivated, stating that "the defendant was in some sort of a temper tantrum."[12] The family of Ratanapakdee expressed outrage over the characterization of the attack as a "temper tantrum", finding the comments to be disheartening and inappropriate for the severity of the crime.[13][14] Boudin later clarified his comments, stating that he was referring to the perpetrator's conduct before the crime.[14][15] According to the family, Boudin had planned to participate in a vigil for Ratanapakdee, but did not show up after the family told him they were not interested in taking pictures or videos with him.[16]

Catherine Stefani, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, proposed renaming Sonora Lane in Anza Vista after Ratanapakdee. The resolution is supported by the Southeast Asian Development Center and Ratanapakdee's family.[17] On September 30, 2022, it was announced that the street would be renamed “Vicha Ratanapakdee Way”, and would be officialized the next day. Announced speakers were his daughter, Monthanus Ratanapakdee, actor Daniel Dae Kim, and activist Amanda Nguyen.[18]

On October 1, 2022, Sonora Lane, a stairway that connects Terra Vista and O’Farrell streets at Anza Vista neighborhood, was renamed to 'Vicha Ratanapakdee Way', in honor of him.[19]

See also

Responses

  • Stop AAPI Hate – non-profit formed in response to racist attacks on the AAPI community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Stop Asian Hate – demonstrations, protests, and rallies against violence targeting Asians in the United States

Deaths

References

  1. 1 2 Lah, Kyung; Kravarik, Jason (February 16, 2021). "Family of Thai immigrant, 84, says fatal attack 'was driven by hate'". CNN. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  2. ↑ General, Ryan (February 5, 2021). "Teen Who Pushed Elderly Thai Man to His Death Pleads Not Guilty to Murder". news.yahoo.com.
  3. ↑ Lim, Dion (February 1, 2021). "84-year-old killed after horrific daytime attack caught on video in San Francisco". ABC7 San Francisco.
  4. ↑ Dorman, Sam (February 1, 2021). "Video shows shocking assault that left 84-year-old San Francisco man dead". Fox News.
  5. ↑ "Update: Suspect In Brutal Assault That Killed Elderly San Francisco Man Pleads Not Guilty". KPIX. February 4, 2021.
  6. ↑ Gastaldo, Evann (February 10, 2021). "Oakland Police Arrest Suspect in Attack on Elderly Asian Man". Newser.
  7. ↑ Bellow, Noelle (February 4, 2021). "Safety of San Francisco questioned after fatal attacks". KRON-TV.
  8. ↑ Ghosh, Nirmal (February 12, 2021). "Alarm at hate crimes targeting Asian Americans in US". The Straits Times.
  9. ↑ Ho, Vivian; Clayton, Abené (February 21, 2021). "'Black and Asian unity': attacks on elders spark reckoning with racism's roots". The Guardian. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ Pandika, Melissa (February 11, 2021). "I want justice for anti-Asian violence — but not at the expense of Black people". Mic. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  11. ↑ Boonkong, Carla; O' Connor, Pranee (February 4, 2021). "Murder charge for 19 year old who barrelled down elderly 84-year-old Thai man in San Francisco". Thai Examiner.
  12. ↑ Fuller, Thomas (February 27, 2021). "He Came From Thailand to Care For Family. Then Came a Brutal Attack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  13. ↑ Lim, Dion (March 2, 2021). "Family outraged over SF DA's description of 84-year-old Asian man's suspected killer". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Tan, Lili (March 4, 2021). "Family of 84-Year-Old Man Killed in San Francisco Upset With District Attorney". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  15. ↑ Kukura, Joe (March 2, 2021). "DA Boudin Faces Another Round of Outrage Over 'Temper Tantrum' Comment". SFist. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  16. ↑ Lim, Dion (March 12, 2021). "ABC7 presses SF DA about what's being done on crimes against Asian Americans". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ "San Francisco Supervisor Proposes Renaming Street In Memory Of Elderly Asian Crime Victim Vicha Ratanapakdee". CBS 5 KPIX. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  18. ↑ "San Francisco lane to be renamed for Thai man killed in 2021". AP News. September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  19. ↑ Echeverria, Danielle (October 1, 2022). "S.F. street renamed for beloved 'Grandpa Vicha,' whose death sparked a movement". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
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