San Jose Asian victim of possible hate crime speaks out

SAN JOSE, Calif. - An assault on an Asian woman in San Jose is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The victim of the attack at San Jose’s Diridon train station Wednesday morning is sharing her story on the alleged hate crime and assault.

The victim named Tiffany, a 26-year-old medical worker from San Jose, said she was tossed around and dragged as the suspect shouted expletives calling her out for being Asian.

Tiffany said the entire attack lasted a minute. She said she has bruises on her knees and a strained neck.

"I just felt completely helpless in the whole situation," said Tiffany.

Tiffany, who did not want to share her last name, is still shaken up over the unprovoked attack.

"I’ve never seen him in my life," said Tiffany. "I’ve never seen him at the station."

At 6:30 a.m., Tiffany was her way to work in Palo Alto and poised to board a train. She said she was inside the tunnel when a man approached her from behind, grabbed her neck, pulled her hair and started cursing.

"He was saying f-u, f-u Asian, this is completely bull," said Tiffany. "All while he was keeping me on the ground with his grip on my hair.

"He made his way to the back of my head and just pulled me back and tossing me from front to back and side to side," said Tiffany.

SEE ALSO: Anti-Asian American hate crimes skyrocket 149% between 2019-2020

Screaming throughout the attack, bystanders yelled at him to let her go. The attacker tried to flee, but.one bystander stayed with the suspect until transit police arrived. Caltrain called it an isolated incident.

"It’s scary, it’s something we don't want to happen," said Victoria O’Brien, Caltrain Deputy Director of Safety and Security. "We are fortunate the victim was not injured physically."

Tiffany isn't sure why he attacked her for her ethnicity, because she was female and alone.

"He just seemed angry," said Tiffany.

Tiffany wanted to speak up and stand up against hate. She hopes justice will be served.

"It should not be something that’s common and continuously happen in our Asian community," said Tiffany.

Caltrain said the 32-year-old suspect has been booked into Santa Clara County jail. His name has not been released. As for Tiffany, she said she does not feel safe to ride the train again.

Azenith Smith is a reporter for KTVU. Email Azenith at azenith.smith@fox.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @AzenithKTVU or Facebook or ktvu.com.