As calls for support and justice for the rising number anti-Asian hate crimes nationwide increase, some people are stepping up and going beyond being bystanders. A father and his son are being called heroes after stopping an Asian woman, 61-year-old Hee Chen, from being robbed outside of their pizzeria in Queens, New York. The two were stabbed as a result and are now recovering at the hospital.
In conversation with CBS News, Louie Suljovic, the owner of the pizza shop, said he was working inside Saturday, March 26, when his father heard a woman crying out for help.
"He sees a woman being attacked. He hears screaming. He starts chasing him, yells my name. I follow suit because we're not gonna let this stand," he said.
Shortly Suljovic said they got into an altercation with the men.
"I would still do it tomorrow, even in the state I am in now," he said. "Enough is enough. People have to start taking the city back. We do. Because there's too many people out there—there's animals out there, and there's a lot of good people that supersede that. We can take this back. We can make this city great again.”
Suljovic, who has been at Elmhurst Hospital since Saturday, suffered a punctured lung and fractured rib after he and his father Cazim were stabbed trying to help Hee Chen. His father was stabbed nine times; he has a punctured lung as a result.
Officials said Chen was being robbed when the two men left the pizza shop to come to her aid.
"They stabbed us, like they stabbed the woman. Poor, defenseless Asian woman that was just going home. Because they're cowards. Now, people like us who are not cowards, we fight back," Suljovic said.
"It doesn't make a difference if it was my best friend or not, you know? It was a woman that was in need and that didn't deserve to be stabbed and robbed from, because some perps thought she was a soft target because she was an older Asian woman," he added.
Despite his injuries, Suljovic said, “I would do it tomorrow again, doesn’t make a difference. Enough’s enough.”
“Don’t be scared to help somebody,” Suljovic said. “Don’t pick up your phone to record, pick up the phone to call 911 and to get involved. The more people get involved, the less likely people are to do it.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for medical expenses and staff members while the father and son duo are hospitalized and the restaurant is closed.
According to police, two assailants, 30-year-old Robert Whack and 18-year-old Supreme Gooding, were arrested. They noted that Whack was in possession of “a large amount of heroin.”
Both men were charged with robbery, assault, gang assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Whack was also charged with the second case of assault and two cases of criminal possession of a controlled substance, authorities said.
The third assailant in the attack remains at large.
In conversation with CBS News, Louie Suljovic, the owner of the pizza shop, said he was working inside Saturday, March 26, when his father heard a woman crying out for help.
"He sees a woman being attacked. He hears screaming. He starts chasing him, yells my name. I follow suit because we're not gonna let this stand," he said.
Shortly Suljovic said they got into an altercation with the men.
"I would still do it tomorrow, even in the state I am in now," he said. "Enough is enough. People have to start taking the city back. We do. Because there's too many people out there—there's animals out there, and there's a lot of good people that supersede that. We can take this back. We can make this city great again.”
Suljovic, who has been at Elmhurst Hospital since Saturday, suffered a punctured lung and fractured rib after he and his father Cazim were stabbed trying to help Hee Chen. His father was stabbed nine times; he has a punctured lung as a result.
Officials said Chen was being robbed when the two men left the pizza shop to come to her aid.
"They stabbed us, like they stabbed the woman. Poor, defenseless Asian woman that was just going home. Because they're cowards. Now, people like us who are not cowards, we fight back," Suljovic said.
"It doesn't make a difference if it was my best friend or not, you know? It was a woman that was in need and that didn't deserve to be stabbed and robbed from, because some perps thought she was a soft target because she was an older Asian woman," he added.
Despite his injuries, Suljovic said, “I would do it tomorrow again, doesn’t make a difference. Enough’s enough.”
“Don’t be scared to help somebody,” Suljovic said. “Don’t pick up your phone to record, pick up the phone to call 911 and to get involved. The more people get involved, the less likely people are to do it.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for medical expenses and staff members while the father and son duo are hospitalized and the restaurant is closed.
According to police, two assailants, 30-year-old Robert Whack and 18-year-old Supreme Gooding, were arrested. They noted that Whack was in possession of “a large amount of heroin.”
Both men were charged with robbery, assault, gang assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Whack was also charged with the second case of assault and two cases of criminal possession of a controlled substance, authorities said.
The third assailant in the attack remains at large.