Asian American Attacks: Non-Profit To Manage $1M In Donations To Xiao Zhen Xie Who Fought Assailant
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- The family of Xiao Zhen Xie, the elderly woman who used a wooden board to fight off her attacker on San Francisco's Market St., will set up a non-profit to manage more than $1 million in donations directed to her after her story went viral.
Xie's grandson John Chen told KPIX 5 she is overwhelmed by the community's response and that she is feeling better mentally and physically. Xie, who suffered an injury to her face and eye, will not need eye surgery and will have no permanent physical damage.
Chen had previously said his grandmother had pledged to give the donations to Asian American community organizations fighting against hate crimes.
"With the decisions from lawyers, social workers, and CPA, all their advice combined together, we made a decision that the best way to help the Asian community with our funds is to set up a non-profit foundation," Chen told KPIX 5. "We are in the process of making it right now."
The 75-year-old Xie garnered international attention after witnesses reported she used a board to repeatedly pummel a man who assaulted her on Market St. last month. News of Xie's battling her assailant came amid a surge in attacks against Asians in the Bay Area and nationwide.
The same man, identified as 39-year-old Steven Jenkins, had also attacked 83-year-old Ngoc Pham just before the attack on Xie, according to police. Jenkins was arrested at the scene.
Police did not disclose a motive for Jenkins's attack and said it was not clear whether the victim's race had anything to do with the assault.