Vet brutally attacked outside grocery store in Chicago's South Loop, believes it was hate crime
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A U.S. military veteran believes he was a victim of a hate crime after he was brutally attacked outside a Chicago grocery store.
Kevin Qin said he wanted to warn everyone in the South Loop – specifically Asian Americans, who he believes may be the next target of the group that attacked him.
Qin was attacked as he made a late-night trip to the Jewel-Osco store at Roosevelt Road and Wabash Avenue this week.
"Honestly, I'm still suffering from, you know, the concussion," Qin said.
He said the red scar on the side of his face was caused by the random attack Tuesday night.
"It started with one, I think, you know, maybe like seven to 10 altogether," Qin said.
He said before the group of men approached, they yelled, "Yo, this Chinese (expletive) is like trying to gang up on me or something."
That was when Qin said he was pulled from behind and surrounded at the entrance to the grocery store.
"I just remember somebody pulling my top and dragging me all the way down the floor, and that's when I hit my head on the side," he said, "and I presume that's when I kind of lost consciousness."
It was not clear how long Qin blacked out, but he recalled an employee coming to help. He said the attack continued as he ran to his car.
He ended up in the hospital, where he eventually called police.
"Me personally being, you know, an Iraq veteran, I would never think that I would be the victim of something like this," Qin said.
Qin and community activists are calling the attack a hate crime, although police have not classified it as such.
"He survived the Iraq War but almost got killed at his home right here in Chicago," said community activist Dr. Kim Tee. "This is a mob attack that needs to be stopped."
This does come on the heels of other attacks in and near the Loop this month, including the beating of a man on Michigan Avenue.
"We need more police. We need more cameras," said activist Raul Montes Jr. "I don't care if the National Guard needs to be deployed here."
Qin considers himself fortunate because he fears what would have happened if the group had targeted someone who had not trained in the military.
"It was a vicious attack and something I never thought I would experience in my life," Qin said.
Nothing was stolen, leaving Qin more perplexed as to why he was targeted.
Chicago Police are looking over surveillance from the Jewel-Osco.
No one was in custody as of Thursday night.