2 elderly Asian men attacked in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO - Two security guards were attacked Wednesday morning while on the job near Union Square in San Francisco.
The Filipino men, ages 59 and 78, were assaulted in an attack deemed unprovoked around 10:20 a.m. at Post and Kearny Streets.
San Francisco police said the victims claimed an unknown man got out of a vehicle, assaulted the two men, got back into the car and then fled the scene.
The men said they're surprised and shaken by the attack, but that they're resilient.
Both have worked in the area for years.
They said they were having a conversation about basketball in front of their work place when suddenly, a man confronts them.
In limited English, Ignacio Ventigan pointed to the bruise on his forehead that he suffered after the man attacked him and his co-worker.
"I wake up every morning. I drop my granddaughter off at school," said Ventigan.
But his routine of leaving his home in the Tenderloin was disrupted when he got to work as a security guard for an office building on Post Street near Kearny, just blocks from Union Square and Chinatown.
Surveillance video showed Ventigan wearing a beanie, talking to his co-worker Bob Morales.
Then, a man was seen getting out of a parked car, confronting Morales, pushing him and trying to kick him.
"He pushed me. 'What's the matter?' I said. He did not talk. Then he punched me. He kick. I run," said Morales.
After that, the man went up to Ventigan, chased and shoved him. Ventigan fell to the ground and hit his head.
The man walked away and took off in a car.
Two older AAPI men are victims of an unprovoked attack in San Francisco
Surveillance video shows a man attacking two older men working as security guards in San Francisco near Union Square. Wednesday morning. The victims are immigrants from the Philippines. They say they've been here for many years and nothing like this has ever happened to them before.
A witness who asked KTVU not to show his face said he went outside his place of business to try to help the victims.
"Shocked because we're downtown. There's a lot of activity down here, but it's still a pretty quiet street," the witness said.
He described the attack as being "unacceptable" and that there was "absolutely no reason for that.
"I hate to assume it was in any way racially motivated, but based on who was attacked, it was the first thing that popped into my head," said the witness.
Both victims said as security guards, they often stand outside the building they're watching.
They said they'd never seen the suspect before.
They continued to work after the attack,
But they are concerned the suspect may return.
Police said they have not ruled out hate as a possible motive for the unprovoked attack.
So far, there has been no arrest in this case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 starting the message with SFPD. Anonymous reporting is available.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU.