NYPD investigating anti-Asian incident against teen

The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force has launched an investigation into an alleged attack on a 13-year-old Asian American boy that involved anti-Asian insults.

An NYPD spokesperson confirmed to The Hill on Friday that the teenager informed police that he was playing basketball on Tuesday when “three unidentified individuals engaged him in a dispute and one of the individuals pushed him to the ground.”

“When the victim attempted to get up, he was struck multiple times in the head and face with a basketball causing redness, swelling and pain by individuals who were making Anti-Asian statements. The victim was removed to Flushing Hospital in stable condition. There are no arrests at this time.”

WABC-TV reporter CeFaan Kim first reported aspects of the incident on Thursday.

“13-year-old Asian American boy attacked by group of teens throwing basketballs at his head while yelling ‘Go back to China… stupid f******* Chinese, Go back to your country’ … on a court in Browne Park Flushing, Queens. 6:30p Tues,” Kim tweeted.

Sources: 13-year-old Asian American boy attacked by group of teens throwing basketballs at his head while yelling “Go back to China… stupid f******* Chinese, Go back to your country” … on a court in Browne Park Flushing, Queens. 6:30p Tues #StopAsianHateCrimes #StopAsianHate

— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) March 18, 2021

This incident occurred the same day that a gunman killed eight people at massage parlors in Atlanta, six of whom were Asian women.

Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), who is Asian, retweeted Kim’s tweet, adding, “My son is the same age. My son loves basketball. This is in my district. Assaults like these are why moms have been texting me saying there’s no way they’re letting their kids go outside to play anymore.”

My son is the same age. My son loves basketball. This is in my district. Assaults like these are why moms have been texting me saying there’s no way they’re letting their kids go outside to play anymore. https://t.co/avsEUuZuiS

— Grace Meng (@Grace4NY) March 18, 2021

“Detectives @NYPDHateCrimes are investigating this crime,” the NYPD Hate Crimes Twitter account commented under Meng’s tweet.

Detectives @NYPDHateCrimes are investigating this crime.

— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) March 19, 2021

The rising number of anti-Asian incidents and hate crimes occurring in the U.S. have spurred outrage in Washington and around the country.

The House Judiciary Committee’s civil rights subcommittee on Thursday held a hearing in which it denounced the rise of violence against Asian-Americans.

“For many Asian-Americans, Tuesday’s shocking events felt like the inevitable culmination of a year in which there were nearly 3,800 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate incidents that grew increasingly more violent over time as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened,” subpanel Chairman Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said at the hearing, referencing a recent study from the nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate, which refers to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

“When politicians use terms like ‘China Virus’ or ‘Kung Flu’ … [it] is the effect — intentional or not — of putting a target on the backs of all Asian-Americans,” Cohen added, mentioning terms popularized by former President Trump.

Meng and Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) have both blamed Trump for contributing to the rising violence against Asian Americans due to his rhetoric.

“President Trump clearly stoked the flames of xenophobia against AAPIs with his rhetoric,” Chu said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Updated at 11:36 a.m. on Friday.