The San Diego Police Department is investigating a hate crime after a man assaulted an 81-year-old Asian American man on the morning of Dec. 17 while he was on a walk.
Around 10 a.m. that day, an apparent transient stopped and asked Mark Sonouvong, if he was Chinese or Vietnamese. After refusing to answer, the man knocked Sonouvong to the ground and brutally beat him.
The attack reportedly left Sonouvong with multiple injuries, including a punctured left eye and a forehead laceration.
API Initiative Government and Public Relations Director JoAnn Fields said the attack was the third against an elderly Asian person in San Diego. API Initiative’s team is proposing a “rapid response action plan” to raise awareness, boost data collection, and improve overall safety in the city.
No arrests have been made as of press time.
A family friend has started a GoFundMe to help with Sonouvong’s medical bills. To contribute, go to gofundme.com/f/elderly-asian-man-beat-in-san-diego-please-help.
White Male
6”0
Brown hair
Clean cut