New York: A suspect has been arrested for attacking an elderly Sikh man in Los Angeles, USA. Officials have given information about this incident. Officials said that in this attack, the victim’s skull was fractured and he suffered a serious brain injury. On August 4, 70-year-old Harpal Singh was attacked by a homeless man named Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was walking near a gurudwara in Los Angeles.
Questions raised on police
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that 44-year-old Vitagliano was arrested for brutally attacking Singh. Vitagliano has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and his bail has been set at USD 1.1 million. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said police were not investigating the case as a hate crime. The Sikh Coalition said Singh suffered serious injuries as a result of the attack and remains in critical condition.
What did the eyewitnesses say?
Police said law enforcement officers received a radio call on August 4 to investigate an assault with a deadly weapon. Preliminary investigations revealed that Singh and Vitagliano, a homeless man, were involved in a physical fight. According to police, witnesses said they could not see how the fight began but heard a loud noise and then saw two men throwing metal objects at each other. When witnesses intervened and stopped Vitagliano, he fled on his bicycle, police said.
What did Harpal Singh’s brother Gurdayal say?
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded immediately and rushed Singh to a nearby hospital where he was admitted with a skull fracture and possible brain concussion. Singh is still under the care of doctors due to the injuries he sustained in the altercation. Singh’s brother Dr Gurdial Singh Randhawa said he was grateful that police had arrested the suspect for the horrific attack but “we need to understand this attack better. We also need to understand why it is not being treated as a hate crime.” “Justice must be done,” he said.
