(SAN FRANCISCO) — A man is in custody after allegedly stabbing a 94-year-old Asian woman multiple times in broad daylight in San Francisco, police said.
The woman was attacked at about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday and rushed to a hospital, the San Francisco Police Department said. She’s expected to survive.
“Investigators believe the attack was unprovoked and are working to determine if race was a motivating factor,” police said.
The suspect, 35-year-old Daniel Cauich, was arrested at about 11:45 a.m., police said.
Cauich was booked on charges of attempted homicide, battery with serious injury, elder abuse, committing a felony while on bail or release, great bodily injury enhancement and probation violation, police said.
He’s due in court on June 22.
This latest attack comes amid a surge in hate crimes against the AAPI community.
Anti-Asian hate crimes in 16 of the nation’s largest cities jumped 145% from 2019 to 2020, according to an analysis by the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed tweeted Wednesday night: “With the rise in attacks against members of our AAPI community, I want to be very clear that this type of violence is unacceptable and has no place in our city. We will not stand by as anyone, especially elderly members of our community, are harmed.”
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