OCA DENOUNCES ANTI-ASIAN SHOOTINGS AND VIOLENCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

22 February 2021

Contact: Eiley Fong | Senior Communications Associate
202.223.5500 | eiley.fong@ocantional.org

Washington, DC - OCA𑁋Asian Pacific American Advocates condemns anti-Asian violence and hate crimes in all forms. In addition to the recent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and sentiment, the continued lack of accountability and responsibility from law enforcement to properly address mental health concerns and racial profiling by their officers are alarming.

In Antioch, CA, an Asian American man died after the police tried to restrain him by putting a knee on his neck. Angelo Quinto, the victim, was suffering a mental health crisis when the police showed up at his family’s home to respond to a call for help. In Pennsylvania, Christian Hall was shot by the police when he was in the midst of a mental health crisis, calling out for help. Hall was in possession of a firearm, but complied with instructions from law enforcement. While the police reported that he had picked up the firearm after they instructed him to stand down, video evidence shows they started shooting at him when his hands were up.

There is a deeply-rooted issue of racism and police brutality towards communities of color in this country, particularly towards Black and Brown individuals. OCA staunchly advocates against the unnecessary and excessive use of force from law enforcement when addressing the complications of mental health concerns and cries of help, especially from communities of color. Despite proposed reforms, DEI/D&I training, and commitments to change, tangible action must be taken to further prevent situations like this from happening again.

“In both of these situations, the victims and their families put trust in law enforcement to provide aid, comfort, and help in crises. The response from law enforcement was violence and a lack of understanding for the victims and their situations, leading to a terrible use of force,” comments Linda Ng, National President of OCA. “Our hearts go out to the families and communities of these victims. We are working actively to increase accountability of law enforcement. The over-policing of communities of color, especially Black and Brown communities, must be stopped.”

If you, your family members, someone you know, or community members have experienced xenophobia, discrimination, or harassment, please report the incident using our hate crime reporting tool at aapihatecrimes.org.

OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national civil rights organization dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

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