2 NYC Doormen Suspended After Failing To Help Asian Woman Attacked Outside Their Building

Following the increased violence towards Asian-Americans, including the recent shooting at an Atlanta-area spa that killed six Asian women, two New York City doormen have been fired following the release of a viral video showing the men closing the door to the apartment building where they worked as a 65-year-old Asian woman was attacked outside.

“Although the two employees seen on video closing doors in response to the perpetrator brandishing a knife did then emerge to assist the victim and flag down an NYPD officer, both remain suspended pending a determination of whether all emergency protocols were sufficiently followed,” the Brodsky Organization, who own the apartment building, told CNN. “We are extremely distraught and shocked by this incident and our hearts go out to the victim.”

In a longer version of the viral video clip, it showed that the doormen only went out to help the victim after the attacker walked away. After the lobby’s door was closed, three people waited inside before acknowledging the incident. Two other people walked in and out of the building during the time of the shut door.

In an NYPD news conference, the police stated that no 911 calls were reported for the incident. Patrol cars found the woman after she was already punched and kicked. The two doormen are currently waiting for the fallout from the investigation.

The doormen are part of the local union SEIU 32BJ. “Under their collective bargaining agreement, both employees have the right to file grievances,” said union president Kyle Bragg in a statement. “There is a contractual process to challenge terminations. The employees have initiated that process but the process is just beginning and can take weeks or months. We take anti-Asian hatred and all forms of discrimination, seriously.”

The alleged attacker, Brandon Elliot, was arrested Wednesday by the NYPD on charges of two counts of second-degree assault and one count of first-degree attempted assault.