70-yr-old Sikh man brutally assaulted in Los Angeles, suspect in custody
The victim is in a medically induced coma.
The only description of the perpetrator provided by KTLA is 'a man'. pic.twitter.com/HckC0Zqa43
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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
44-year-old man arrested for assaulting elderly Sikh in US
A 44-year-old man has been arrested for assaulting an elderly Sikh man, the Los Angeles police department said in a statement on Tuesday. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime. The brutal assault left Harpal Singh, 70, with a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. Singh was assaulted by an 'unhoused' man, Bo Richard Vitagliano, while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested on Monday for the 'brutal attack' against Singh. Vitagliano has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon, and his bail was set for USD 1.1 million. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime. It said Singh has sustained very serious injuries during the assault and remains in critical condition. The police said that on August 4, law enforcement officials responded to a radio call of an 'assault with a deadly weapon investigation.' Preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between Singh and Vitagliano, who is an 'unhoused' individual. Witnesses said while they did not see how the altercation began, they heard a loud commotion, then witnessed two men swinging metal objects at each other, the LAPD said. Both individuals were struck, and Vitagliano further assaulted Singh while he was reportedly on the ground. When witnesses intervened by yelling at Vitagliano, he rode away on his bicycle. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded and transported Singh to a nearby hospital, where he was admitted for a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. Singh continues to be under the care of a physician due to injuries suffered in the altercation. Vitagliano has an extensive criminal record for narcotics, assault with a deadly weapon, and various weapons charges. Based upon the evidence in this matter, police believe the assault was not a hate crime, but instead motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the victim. LAPD said local officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area following this incident and will continue engaging the community to discuss public safety and address any further concerns of the Sikh community. The Sikh Coalition noted that it is 'impossible to completely rule out that this is a hate crime at this stage. The suspect has been in custody for less than 24 hours, and Harpal ji himself remains unconscious and has thus been unable to sit for a full police interview, with professional translation services, separate from a conversation immediately after the attack.' 'After such an interview happens, if the LAPD still believes this was not a hate crime, they must publicly clarify how they determined hate was not a factor in this assault,' it said. Singh's brother, Dr Gurdial Singh Randhawa, said he is grateful that the police have arrested a suspect for the horrific assault, but 'we need to better understand this attack and why it is not being considered a hate crime.' 'Justice must be served, and our local Sikh community must know that the area around our gurdwara—where we gather to worship, learn, connect, eat, and serve others—is safe for all,' he added. Akal Takht jathedar condemns assault, calls it hate crime Amritsar Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj on Wednesday condemned the assault. In a statement here on Wednesday, jathedar Gargaj said it should be recorded as a hate crime and also said it is essential to understand the intent behind the attack. Gargaj, while citing a 2024 hate crime report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said Sikhs remain the third most-targeted religious group, which is a grave concern. 'The FBI report records 153 hate crime incidents against Sikhs in 2024 alone,' he said, stressing the urgent need for collaborative efforts worldwide, including in the US, to raise awareness about Sikh identity in order to curb such attacks. The jathedar asked Sikh organisations in the US to make special efforts to educate the American public about Sikh identity and, in case of difficulties, to seek the support of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht. He asked external affairs minister S Jaishankar to ensure through the Indian mission in the US that the assault is officially recorded as a hate crime and that strict action is taken against the perpetrator. Gargaj directed the SGPC to correspond with the ministry of external affairs to ensure stringent action against the accused. DSGMC seeks justice
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Akal Takht jathedar condemns brutal assault of Sikh man in US, calls it hate crime
Amritsar, Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj on Wednesday strongly condemned the brutal assault of a 70-year-old man in the USA. Akal Takht jathedar condemns brutal assault of Sikh man in US, calls it hate crime Harpal Singh, an elderly Sikh man, was assaulted in Los Angeles and suffered a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. He was assaulted by "unhoused" man Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The jathedar of the highest temporal seat of Sikhs demanded that the Los Angeles Police Department and American investigative agencies ensure the accused person receives a strict and exemplary punishment. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested on Monday for the brutal attack against Singh. In a statement here on Wednesday, jathedar Gargaj said it should be recorded as a hate crime and also said it is essential to understand the intent behind the attack. Gargaj, while citing a 2024 hate crime report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation , said Sikhs remain the third most-targeted religious group, which is a grave concern. "The FBI report records 153 hate crime incidents against Sikhs in 2024 alone," he said, stressing the urgent need for collaborative efforts worldwide, including in the USA, to raise awareness about Sikh identity in order to curb such attacks. The jathedar asked Sikh organisations in the USA to make special efforts to educate the American public about Sikh identity and, in case of difficulties, to seek the support of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Akal Takht. He also called on Sikhs living in the USA to unite against such incidents, raise their voice with local authorities and governments, and demand enhanced security measures in their residential areas. Gargaj further advised Sikhs abroad to remain alert. Families should avoid sending elderly members out alone, and walks should be taken in places or parks where other people are present, said Gargaj, who is also the jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. Calling the attack on a Sikh an attack on the entire community, Gargaj emphasised that such matters must be dealt with at a community level and with utmost seriousness. He asked External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to ensure through the Indian mission in the USA that the assault on Harpal Singh is officially recorded as a hate crime and that strict action is taken against the perpetrator. Gargaj directed the SGPC to correspond with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure stringent action against the accused. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Jury gives $3 million to man injured on LA sidewalk. City still hasn't fixed it
A Los Angeles jury has awarded wedding photographer Payman Heravi more than $3 million in damages after he suffered a serious injury from tripping on a damaged sidewalk in Woodland Hills back in 2019. The photographer tripped on a broken sidewalk in 2019 (Representational image) The verdict was delivered last week, leaving Heravi emotional in court. While the sum might suggest a reason to celebrate, he says the reality is far from joyous. "Right now, (the) pain is a lot," Heravi was quoted as saying by ABC7. "Right now, I can't use my shoulder." The incident that changed his career In December 2019, Heravi was walking along Ventura Boulevard when he glanced at a text on his phone. At that moment, he stumbled over a several-inch uplift in the pavement. His attorneys argued that the sidewalk's severe unevenness was well known to the city, and that employees had seen the damage but failed to make repairs. "That should be fixed in a reasonable manner," his attorney Max Lee said. "If that happened in this case, Mr Heravi would still be able to do what he loves and not be in constant pain every day." The injury left Heravi's left arm permanently limited in movement, despite three surgeries and years of physical therapy. He says he can no longer work as a wedding photographer. Jury's decision and the ongoing hazard The jury awarded him $3,028,026 for his losses and suffering. Despite the verdict, the section of sidewalk where the accident occurred still has not been repaired. (Also read: Sikh man, 70, brutally attacked with golf club in Los Angeles; police make one arrest) A costly problem for Los Angeles Heravi's case is just one example of the city's mounting costs from damaged sidewalks. In the past five years, Los Angeles has paid out more than $86 million to settle lawsuits linked to broken or uneven pavement. Recently, 7 On Your Side Investigates reported on an 85-year-old woman's eight-year battle to get the sidewalk outside her Fairfax District home fixed. Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia has warned that liability lawsuits are draining public funds. In the most recent fiscal year, the city spent a record $286 million on such payouts—compared to just $35 million two decades ago.
