VIDEO: Teens knock down 80-year-old Asian man, punch and slap and rob him — all amid high-pitched giggles as victim cries out for help

A pair of teenagers were caught on surveillance video knocking down an 80-year-old Asian man in a northern California neighborhood Saturday before punching him, slapping him, and robbing him — all amid high-pitched giggles presumably from a third teen as the victim cried out for help, KGO-TV reported.

What are the details?

Police told the station the suspects are as young as 16.

The elderly man was on a walk around 4 p.m. when the attack on Acapulco Road occurred, police told KNTV-TV, adding that the suspects ripped off the victim's Fitbit. KGO said the 80-year-old's watch was stolen and that he sustained minor injuries.

Image source: KGO-TV video screenshot

A neighbor who didn't want to be identified told KNTV the victim said the attackers "tried to take his wallet, but luckily he wasn't seriously injured."

The neighbor added to the station that he heard the elderly man tell police he's noticed anti-Asian crime increasing in the Bay Area of late, and "he thought he was targeted for being Asian as well."

KGO said a vehicle similar to the one seen in the surveillance video was observed during a strong-armed robbery in San Leandro less than two hours later. The station added that the victim in the latter incident is a younger woman whose purse was stolen.

Nearly 300% spike in attacks against Asian Americans

Two months ago San Leandro police revealed that violent crimes against Asians jumped by 283% in the city from 2019 to 2020, KNTV reported — and San Leandro is only 36% Asian American.

Police told KGO they can't say how many incidents were hate crimes or race-motivated — but San Leandro police Lt. Ali Kahn noted to the station that "numbers don't lie."

In nearby San Francisco, surveillance video caught the moment an Asian man was punched, fell to the sidewalk, and then was hit with about a dozen punches to the head and back on April 30 — all while the victim's 1-year-old child sat in a stroller just feet away.

The neighbor whose surveillance video caught the attack on the elderly Asian man in San Leandro told KGO he wants to see "more consequences" for the teen perps and others committing similar crimes: "Because it seems to be ongoing ... That's really the best thing that could happen, so they can learn."