125 punches of Asian woman lead to attempted murder as hate crime charge

Yonkers, N.Y. — A woman from the Philippines is recovering from a vicious anti-Asian attack in Yonkers,a northern New York City suburb, CBS New York reports.

The suspect is charged with attempted murder as a hate crime and has a long criminal history, the station says. The assault happened on March 11.

Surveillance video of their apartment building’s lobby shows a man authorities identified as 42-year-old Tammel Esco assaulting his 67-year-old neighbor. The suspect threw 125 punches, kicked her viciously seven times, then spat on her twice and used anti-Asian slurs.

A witness told CBS New York Esco walked outside and screamed incoherently at passersby after the assault. Police arrived quickly and took him into custody.

“We’re gonna file this as a hate crime, and we’re charging attempted murder based on the number of strikes and the length of the attack,” Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller said.

Police said the victim has severe injuries and faces a long road to recovery.

Esco is being held without bail.

He has 14 arrests and multiple convictions on his record, Mueller said.

In February 2021, Esco pushed a woman through a plate glass window. She wasn’t seriously hurt, but Esco was given conditional discharge and no jail time. CBS New York learned that Esco entered a five-month inpatient program for substance abuse after his arrest last year. He’d previously served 42 months in prison for a 2010 stabbing.

The attack has frightened other Asians in the neighborhood.

“I come home 9:00, I have to be always watching whoever is there, you know?” said Olivia Solano, one of the victim’s neighbors.

Wendy Trinidad reacted with horror to surveillance video of the hate crime committed in the lobby of her building.

“I’m in shock. I know nowadays a lot of mental issues, but that is just unbelievable,” Trinidad said.

The victim is well liked by neighbors.

“She’s very, very nice. … Two daughters. … Her husband passed. He was a mailman, I remember that,” Sken Shabaj said.