HOUSTON — After a violent incident in Houston's Asiatown area, officials held a town hall to address a growing number of concerns for neighbors in the Asian community.
On Thursday, the Houston Police Department Robbery Division posted a new video showing a bold attack on an Asian man. At the town hall, the 66-year-old victim watched as the video of the attack played.
“The robber from behind me, he took my wallet," Tuc Luong told KHOU 11's Zack Tawatari in Vietnamese. "He robbed me, he assaulted me. He ran from my car, so I was robbed. He took my wallet. I lost all my items in it.”
Luong, who lives near Asiatown, said he was having car trouble when the man approached him. The video shows a man approaching him and grabbing at his backside. Luong resisted, but ultimately the robber got away.
Police said he took off on a bike. Luong said he was left injured.
"Yeah, hurt the hand," he said.
Houston police and elected officials addressed violence against the Asian community at the town hall Thursday night.
“There’s a perception with the Asian community of crooks thinking that everybody carries cash, and you are a target. So just know that," said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner. "When you’re going and coming from banks and stores and conducting your everyday business, be observant.”
Houston Police Department's first Asian executive assistant chief, Ban Tien, said the Asian community needs to be vigilant and not be afraid to call in anything they perceive as a threat.
“The most important thing is, and use it often, I would rather you call me on 10,000 things that basically nothing materializes – that’s OK – at least allow us the opportunity to look into it before something actually occurs," Tien said.
Luong is now without the medical documentation he kept in his wallet. He and police are asking for the public's help in his case.
“So many people are so scared they have left this [area] for good. People don't want to say anything," Luong said. "As for me, I have been [victimized] twice.”
Officials have scheduled another town hall at the Chinese Civic Center, located at 5905 Sovereign Drive, on Saturday, July 8 at 10 a.m.
Police said a reward is being offered in Luong's case. If you have any information on it, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).