Amid growing claims that a Korean American man was the victim of an Asian hate crime in Palisades Park, New Jersey, police say the motive remains unclear, while the bar owner claims the man was critically injured after he first assaulted a stranger inside the bar.
Police and Witnesses Dispute Hate Crime Narrative
The incident occurred around midnight on April 27, according to the Palisades Park Police Department, which confirmed that the 25-year-old Korean American man attacked a customer of a different race without provocation inside a bar near Broad Avenue.
Police said the two individuals had an argument inside the bar, but the bar owner, who is also Korean American and requested anonymity, told The Korea Daily on May 14 that the Korean American man initiated the assault. “He came alone, drinking, and suddenly attacked the other customer without provocation,” the owner said. “There was significant bleeding from the victim’s mouth and teeth area. The entire incident happened in less than five seconds, based on CCTV footage, leaving bystanders unable to intervene.”
The owner added that the Korean American man immediately left the bar after the assault. The victim later followed him outside and assaulted him on the street.
Police Continue Search for Attacker, Confirm No Hate Crime Investigation
Police said the reason the victim confronted the Korean American man outside remains unclear. The Korean American man is now in critical condition.
Video footage released by police shows the man of a different race punching the Korean American man in the head, knocking him down, then striking him 17 more times and kicking him twice while he was on the ground.
The bar owner also said acquaintances later told him the Korean American man might have had mental health issues. He criticized some media outlets for portraying the incident as a possible hate crime without verifying the facts. “The reality is quite the opposite,” the owner said.
Police confirmed they are investigating the case as an assault, not as a hate crime at this stage. They are continuing to search for the man of a different race who followed and assaulted the Korean American man after the initial incident.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
