New York City police investigating two brutal assaults of Asians

March 30 (UPI) -- The New York City Police Department said it is investigating two incidents of assault that targeted an Asian woman, who was stomped in the head, and an Asian man, who was punched and choked on the New York City subway. Both incidents are believed to have occurred on Monday.

The unidentified 65-year-old woman was allegedly walking to church on Monday, when at about 11:40 a.m. a man approached her and kicked her in the stomach, the New York Daily News reported.

Surveillance video from the building on West 43rd Street in midtown Manhattan also showed the attacker stomping on the woman's head after she falls to the ground.

According to police, the man said, "F--- you. You don't belong here," to the victim, who was later taken to NYU Langone Hospital.

The incident took place outside luxury apartment residences. Security guards loitering in the lobby of the building, owned by Brodsky Organization, are seen watching the attack while doing nothing. At the end of the video, one security guard is shown closing the front entrance without helping the victim, police said, according to Daily News.

New York and other U.S. cities have reported a spike in harassment and assault of Asians and Asian Americans. Stop AAPI Hate, a hate crimes watchdog, has said they have received more than 2,800 reports of firsthand experiences with racism from Asians and Asian Americans since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Police said they also are investigating the assault and choking of an Asian man on the city subway, after a Twitter user, @AsianDawn4, published a video of the victim being punched by a man dressed in all black, PIX 11 reported.

The incident occurred on a Manhattan-bound J train at Kosciuszko Street station in Brooklyn, the report said.

Bystanders are seen telling the assailant to stop striking his victim, but they do not intervene. The man is seen choking his victim for about 15 seconds. The victim collapses as if unconscious, the video shows.

"We need the public's help. The NYPD is aware of this video and is investigating. Anyone that has information regarding this incident is urged to call or DM @NYPDTips 1-800-577-TIPS and provide additional details including the date and time of occurrence," the NYPD Hate Crimes task force said on Twitter on Monday.