Asian Hate Toward Black Bodies Still Exists
Ryan Le-Nguyen Charged in Shooting of 6-Year-Old
On Sunday, June 6th a 6-year-old Coby Daniel was shot by his neighbor, Ryan Le-Nguyen while playing outside with friends in the Ypsilanti Township of Michigan. According to Washtenaw County Sheriff Spokesman Derrick Jackson: Daniel, his family, and friends were playing in the neighborhood around 4:30 pm when Le-Nguyen heard the commotion outside and told the kids to leave. Jackson adds: “The neighbor told the children to leave, went back inside and retrieved his gun and fired a round through his window, striking Daniel in the arm.”
Daniel, whose bike was laying in Nguyen’s yard, went to retrieve it to go home. Le-Nguyen also initially came outside holding a sledgehammer before he went back inside to retrieve his gun.
29-year-old Nguyen was arrested and charged with assault, intent to murder. Three days later, he was released on a $10,000 bond. And Daniel’s father, Arnold Daniel was left angry and confused, stating: “I’m trying to figure out he got a bond so low for trying to kill my kid.” The bullet went through Daniel’s arm and he was rushed to the hospital. The doctors stated that if “the bullet had been an inch deeper in any direction, it would have likely killed Coby.”
Thankfully, Coby Daniel survived to tell his story.
“He tried hitting me with a sledgehammer but that’s not going to work because I’m too fast. “He got a gun and BOOM shot me right here.” — Coby Daniel tells FOX 2 News as he points to his arm.
Thankfully, Coby Daniel is recovering from the physical attack.
Captured video shows several children running after a single gunshot is fired and Daniel screaming that he was shot.
Though Coby Daniel is expected to be okay, will he ever really?
Although 6-year-old Daniel suffered no life-threatening injuries, he did. And this incident is an incessant reminder of another attack we shall never forget.
The shooting and killing of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins.
30 Years Ago. . .
On March 16th, 1991, 15-Year-Old Latasha Harlins enters a convenience store in Los Angeles, California owned by Soon Ja Du, a 51-year-old Korean woman. Du claimed she observed Harlins placing a bottle of orange juice in her backpack, attempting to steal it. When asked about it, Harlins responded: “What orange juice?” However, two eyewitnesses disputed this claim, citing: “Du called Harlins a “bitch”, accused her of trying to steal, while Harlins stated that she intended to pay for the juice with money in her hand. The videotape recovered shows Du snatching Harlin’s backpack and Harlins striking Du in the face twice. A scuffle would ensue before Du reached under her counter, retrieved her gun, and shot Harlins in the back of the head. Harlins died instantly.
Du testified in court that she acted in self-defense and believed her life was in danger. However, her testimony was contradicted by the two witness statements and the security video obtained from the store, which shows Du shooting Harlins as she attempted to leave the store. The jury ultimately found that Du was in control of her decision to fire the gun and that she fired the gun voluntarily. On November 15, 1991, Du was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum of 16 years in prison. However, Judge Joyce Karlin sentenced Du to 10 years suspended prison, five years’ probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine.
The verdict result would be one of few events that led to the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. The L.A. Riots was a public outcry in the eyes of those angered by the minimal sentence of Du for killing a young black teenager.
Who knew we would face a similar result again, 30 years later?
Ryan Le-Nguyen was released on a $10,000 bond after being charged with intent to do bodily harm, intent to murder, and two firearm charges. Assault with intent to murder will carry a lesser sentence than attempted murder in Michigan. Le-Nguyen’s release on bond reignited a 30-year-old outcry from the community. Police Spokesperson Derrick Jackson reported that the sheriff’s office received several calls from the concerned and upset community. Rapper and activist, T.I. also used his platform to bring awareness to the incident in an Instagram post which has now been removed. T.I. posted an image of Nguyen next to a photo of his former employer, urging the audience to boycott the Michigan restaurant. The owner of Pho House released a statement in the aftermath of the incident:
“We understand there’s a terrible tragedy that happened on Sunday. Our hearts go out to the family and the child that was hurt. We want to make it clear that this person no longer works with us. His employment ended with us in 2015. We do not support what he did. We do not condone his actions. He is not married to any of our family members.” — Pho House, June 11, 2021
Update: On Friday, June 11th, it was reported that Le-Nguyen was back in police custody after the judge filed an emergency motion to increase his bond from $10,000 to $100,000. The motion left Nguyen to turn himself in. As of now, Nguyen remains in police custody.
What Happens Next?
Under the Michigan Penal Code 750.83 Assault with intent to commit murder states: “Any person who shall assault another with intent to commit the crime of murder, shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for life or any number of years.” According to Michigan sentencing guidelines, “assault with intent to commit murder is a Class A felony and carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.” Other consequences in addition to prison time may include fines and a permanent criminal record, which may likely affect future employment and other areas of life. Nguyen may also face additional consequences from the two firearm charges.
Where Do We Go From Here?
As we often experience many times over, it took an outcry from the black community and video footage to restore accountability over black bodies. We are left to wonder if we will ever recover.
Asian Hate Toward Black Bodies has severely deteriorated the relations between Black and Asian communities. Whether in discrimination and/or violence, the relationship remains strained. Though there have been several attempts from individuals of both communities to bridge the gap, the hate still permeates today. In April 2021, best friends Sabine Don, (an Asian woman) and Deborah Kemper, (a Black woman) united at a Hate Crimes Protest to speak out together against the rising Asian hate crimes in America:
“She was just as outraged as I was about what was going on,” Kemper said. “And I was just outraged as she was about the Asian hate crimes.”
I want to believe two communities often the subject/victims of racial indifference and hostility can merge in a significant act of support and unity. However, the continued Asian Attack on Black shows the possibility of a solid union at a very long distance.
In March 2021,(exactly 30 years after Latasha Harlin's death) the Asian community launched a movement called: #StopAsianHate. The movement was in response to racism against the Asian community in the aftermath of the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic. I undoubtedly support the #StopAsianHate movement as it is an initiative fueled by an all too familiar injustice in the black community. And as an advocate of the movement, I can attest to the shared support #StopAsianHate has received from the black community.
So, to the Asian community: When we scream #StopAsianHate, how about we make sure it reflects a dual-sided initiative.
#StopAsianHateTowardBlackBodies
Works Cited:
#StopAsianHate — Fight Anti-Asian Racism. STOPASIANHATE.INFO. (n.d.). https://www.stopasianhate.info/.
A., B. (n.d.). Section 750.83 — Michigan Legislature. 750.83 Assault with intent to commit murder — Michigan Legislature — Michigan Criminal Defense Law Firm — Grabel & Associates. https://www.grabellaw.com/section-750-83-michigan-legislature.html.
Dupnack, J. (2021, June 10). Judge raises bond for man charged in shooting of 6-year-old boy in Ypsilanti Twp. FOX 2 Detroit. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/judge-raises-bond-for-man-charged-in-shooting-of-6-year-old-boy-in-ypsilanti-twp.
Geiger, D. (2021, June 11). Man Shot 6-Year-Old; Attacked Him With A Sledgehammer For Leaving His Bike On Front Lawn, Family Says. Oxygen Official Site. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/ryan-le-nguyen-allegedly-shot-6-year-old-over-bicycle.
Gilbert, A. C. (2021, June 10). Man who allegedly shot 6-year-old back in custody after court increases his bail following community outcry. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/06/10/court-increases-bail-man-who-allegedly-shot-6-year-old-michigan/7637989002/.
Jacob, R. M. (2020, June 17). Latasha Harlins’ Death: How Did She Die? Soon Ja Du’s Trial. The Cinemaholic. https://thecinemaholic.com/latasha-harlins-death/.
Michigan Legislature. Michigan Legislature — Section 750.83. (n.d.). http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(hijp4dggch1rugy4wp1jz51e))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-750-83.
[email protected], S. D. |. (2021, June 9). Man charged with shooting 6-year-old in Ypsilanti Township. mlive. https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/06/man-charged-with-shooting-6-year-old-in-ypsilanti-township.html.
Wright, B. C. T. (2021, June 11). Man Freed On Low Bail For Shooting 6-Year-Old Black Boy Is Back In Jail After Community Outcry. NewsOne. https://newsone.com/4163483/ryan-le-nguyen-shooting-bail-controversy-update/.
Zijia Eleanor Song, N. O. D. (2021, April 15). Black and Asian Americans Stand Together Against Hate Crimes. NBC10 Philadelphia. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/black-and-asian-americans-stand-together-against-hate-crimes/2780762/.
