On the eve of the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
as a person of color who lived through the Civil Rights movement of the Sixties, I think it very important to ask:
Has America lived up to the dreams, hopes, and expectations of Dr. King?
Have African-Americans lived up to the dreams, hopes, and expectations of Dr. King?
Has Dr. King's message of non violence been respected and that lesson taught in families, community centers, churches...?
Or that of equality (the belief that all races are equal and should be treated with equal respect; not that one race is morally and physically superior to another because of its past and its physical characteristics and that another race is morally deficient because of its history and still another race because of its physical characteristics)?
Heng Hey and Chea Pol (see story below) did not turn to robbery or assault to make ends meet for themselves or their family.
From the Rainier Valley News:
Elderly King Donut Owners Assaulted, Robbed (UPDATE X3)
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE — Two elderly Rainier Beach business owners are in the hospital tonight after a brutal attack at the beloved neighborhood restaurant they’ve run for nearly 30 years.
Heng Hey and Chea Pol (above) started King Donut in 1987 after fleeing the Khmer Rouge genocide in war-torn Cambodia. Shortly after 7 pm this evening, as they were getting in the car to leave the restaurant, a man approached the car and attacked Chea, punching her repeatedly in the face before stealing her purse, some cash, an ipad and a blue iphone before taking off on foot eastbound through the Safeway parking lot.
There were no arrests. Medics responded and treated Chea for her injuries before taking her to the hospital for further care.
Their daughter Davie Hay, who helps run the popular restaurant with her brother and sister and recently started writing an advice column for the RVP, says nothing like this has ever happened before. She’s desperate for information.
“I know someone out there knows about my parents being beat up and robbed at the shop,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “Please let us know.”
The suspect is described as a slender black male between 20 and 30 years old wearing black pants, black jacket and a black hat. Anyone with information is asked to call the robbery unit at (206) 684-5540. Anonymous tips are welcome.
King Donut was voted Best Thing in Southeast Seattle in the 2013 RVP Readers Choice Awards and 2014 Business of the Year by the Rainier Chamber of Commerce.
The incident comes on the heels of a particularly violent week in southeast Seattle. On Monday, two teenagers were arrested for brazenly attacking and robbing or attempting to rob people of their cell phones.
Then, two days later on New Year’s Eve, one man was shot and killed in the Othello-area just a couple of hours before three officers investigating a domestic violence call exchanged gunfire with a suspect in a moving vehiclein the Brighton neighborhood.
UPDATE: (Sat., 1/3 @ 9 am) Outrage is quickly spreading throughout the south-end community as neighbors wake up to the news that the two well-loved owners of King Donuts were robbed and assaulted last night. Some of the following comments stemmed from our Facebook post:
- “Shameful”
- “They are the nicest family”
- “This business has been apart of our community for decades and these partners have been great! I’ve been going there since I was a little girl with my grandpa. When he died, the owners kept his table reserved for months!”
- “How tf you Rob an old lady Who ever you are. Mom’s is more from the hood then a lot of mfs today”
- “Elderly woman really? I can’t believe some young men these days… They will really do anything for some chump change. Praying for the family…”
- “Oh NO! For those of you living in our hood this is like attacking our mother!”
- “it has never been cool to rob an old lady or old dude. that could be your grandparents getting socked up”
- “If anyone has any information. We need to protect our RB businesses!”
- “This makes my heart hurt. How can we help?”
- “They are open today if you want to show the business some love.”
- “Turn him in if you know who he is.”
Both Heng and Chea have been released from the hospital and are recovering at home. The family is now focusing their attention on finding the man who assaulted them.
One extra detail that may help: In addition to taking Chea’s purse, some cash, an ipad and a blue iphone, the thief also got away with the unique diamond brooch pictured here:
The suspect is described as a slender black male between 20 and 30 years old wearing black pants and a black hat. Anyone with information is asked to call the robbery unit at (206) 684-5540. Anonymous tips are welcome.
UPDATE: (Sat., 1/3 @ 9:55 am) “My mother’s teeth were in the back of her throat and she is back in the hospital with a possible concussion,” reports Davie Hay. “If anyone knows anything about this assault/robbery please let me know. Please help us out. My parents survived the Khmer Rouge genocide and came to America and have this happen?”
UPDATE: (Sat., 1/3 @ 2:45 pm) Davie has set up a gofundme account to raise money for her parents’ medical treatment. So far, 14 donations have yielded $800.
(Top) Heng Hey and Chea Pol were both hospitalized after being attacked and robbed at the popular Rainier Beach restaurant they’ve owned for nearly 30 years. Photo/Davie Hay
Related:
Two Teens Arrested in Rainier Valley Assaults, Cell Phone Robbery
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE — Seattle Police say they arrested two teenagers Monday for attacking people in the Rainier Beach and stealing or attempting to steal their cell phones.
The first victim told police he was walking along South Rose Street near Rainier Avenue South about 7 pm when two male teenagers started hitting him in the face in an attempt to get his cell phone.
The man said he was able to fend off his attackers and called police as the boys ran away.
When police arrived, a second victim walked up and told officers she’d been attacked by the same people a couple of blocks away, and that they got away with her cell phone.
Then, after officers took their statements and left to interview other witnesses, the first victim called 911 again to say the teens had returned to the scene and attacked him a second time.
The 17-year-old suspects were still there when the officers returned. They were both arrested and booked into the Youth Services Center on robbery charges. The woman’s cell phone was recovered and returned.
A third man, who had been seen hanging out with the suspects during the second attack, was arrested for a Department of Corrections violation. He says he wasn’t involved in the attacks.
The incidents occurred near Rainier Avenue South and Wabash Avenue South where a woman and her young children were driving in September when they were surrounded by nearly a dozen people who blocked her vehicle, then assaulted and robbed them. At the time, there were no reported arrests.
Mom & Kids Trapped, Robbed, Assaulted in Rainier Beach Alley; No Arrests
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE — Last week, a woman driving through a Rainier Beach alley was surrounded by nearly a dozen people who blocked her vehicle, then assaulted and robbed her and her young children.
According to Seattle Police Department records, the victim said she was driving through the alley near Rainier Avenue South and Wabash Avenue South on the way to drop one of her kids off at a friend’s house around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. She told police she was taking a short cut when her car was stopped by a large group of 10 men and one woman.
She said she tried to drive through the crowd, but was afraid of hitting someone when they wouldn’t move out of the way. From the police report:
Victim stated she had her driver’s side window rolled down slightly. Victim stated that a black female with a black shirt and blue jeans punched her several times with a closed fist. The suspect punched her through the driver’s side window. Victim stated the suspect struck her in the face several times. The victim was also scratched by the suspect. The victim attempted to block some of the blows and was scratched. Victim stated that someone in the group of people snatched a back pack out of the lap of one of the children sitting in the back seat of the vehicle.
The woman said she drove out of the alley, across Wabash Avenue South and parked to call police. She also said that there were witnesses to the attack, but that “nobody wanted to help her.”
The victim said the group of 10 ran in various directions but she kept her eyes on the female suspect who gave the backpack to one of the men with her. She then followed the female suspect who flagged down a passing vehicle and got away. Police later tracked down the driver who said she didn’t know the suspect who had told her that someone was trying to kill her. She said she dropped the suspect off on Rainier Avenue South, two blocks north of Wabash, then drove away thinking that she had just helped someone.
According to the police report, the victim suffered bruises on her right and left eye from the attack. Her children weren’t hurt, but “very upset and crying.”
An area search proved unsuccessful and there were no reported arrests.
Police are investigating the incident and encourage anyone with information on the attack to call 911.
WATCH: Cops Take Gunfire in New Year’s Eve Shooting
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE — Patrol car cameras were rolling on New Year’s Eve when a gunman opened fire on several Seattle Police officers in the Brighton neighborhood.
The shooting came minutes after police responded, for the second time New Year’s Eve, to a report of domestic violence at a home in the 4200 block of South Eddy Street near 42nd Avenue South.
According to Seattle Police Department (SPD), officers were first called to the home shortly after 10 pm after receiving a report of a domestic dispute between a man and a woman. Officers investigated the incident and left the scene to complete their report.
A short time later, around 10:30 pm, police returned to the home after receiving a second 911 call from the victim, who said the suspect had kicked a door and was making threats.
By 10:35 pm, officers were interviewing the suspect as he sat on the hood of a patrol car parked on S. Eddy Street, which is where video of the incident begins. Shortly thereafter, shots rang out and everyone ducked for cover as the officers returned fire.
There were no reported injuries or arrests at the time, but last week Seattle Police said that they’ve arrested three suspects in connection with a recent spate of drive-by shootings in southeast Seattle. However they did say if this incident was included in the ones that the three teenagers, ages 16, 17 and 19 are suspected of.
Prosecutors have charged all three with investigation of drive-by shooting and issued warrants for their arrest.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire