UPDATE: 75-Year-Old Asian Man Critically Injured In Oakland Assault Dies; Suspect Faces Murder Charge
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- The 75-year-old Asian man who was left brain dead from an Oakland assault and robbery earlier this week has died and the suspect in the case now faces a special circumstances murder charge and additional felony charges, according to authorities.
UPDATE: Second Suspect Arrested in Fatal Oakland Assault And Robbery of 75-Year-Old Asian Man
A statement from the Alameda County District Attorney's Office confirmed that the victim in the Tuesday assault, identified as 75-year-old Oakland resident Pak Ho, had died Thursday afternoon shortly before 1 p.m.
Carl Chan, the president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, also told KPIX 5 Thursday afternoon that the victim had passed away.
ALSO READ: San Francisco Officials Decry Anti-Asian Violence In Wake Of Fatal Attack
"I'm at a loss for words," said Oakland Police Chief LeRonne L. Armstrong in a statement regarding the case. "Our elders should be protected not the victim of a deadly assault. I am thankful that our officers were able to quickly respond and arrest Mr. Bailey. The Oakland Police Department will relentlessly pursue those that violate the most vulnerable members in our community."
The attack happened just before 7 a.m. Tuesday morning at the intersection of Jayne Avenue and Perkins Street, not far from Lake Merritt.
Law enforcement sources confirmed to KPIX Wednesday that the arrested suspect in the case was 26-year-old Oakland resident Teaunte Bailey.
According to the DA's probable cause statement, during the robbery, the suspect struck Ho with a closed fist, leading the victim to fall to the ground. Ho's head hit the concrete sidewalk and he suffered a traumatic head injury and brain damage.
Bailey entered a vehicle and fled the scene after the assault and robbery. Police were later able to identify the suspect vehicle with surveillance video and electronic surveillance. The vehicle was located in Oakland by police later Tuesday, still occupied by in individual later identified as Bailey.
When officers tried to make an enforcement stop, the suspect fled in the vehicle, driving recklessly and endangering the public as police pursued. Bailey was eventually apprehended and found with items he had taken from Ho. He was also wearing a GPS ankle monitor that placed him at the scene of the assault.
Alameda County DA Nancy O'Malley on Thursday filed a special circumstances murder charge against Bailey as well as multiple serious felony charges in connection with crimes committed on two different dates in Oakland.
According to the DA's office, Bailey is also being charged with robbery and assault from a February 19 in Oakland. Authorities alleged that Bailey broke into a senior living apartment, violently shoved a 72-year-old victim, robbed him of his phone and stole numerous items from the home.
The criminal complaint charges Bailey with special circumstances murder and special allegations, including crimes against elders and crimes committed while out on bail or own recognizance.
Bailey had been held to answer for robbery after a preliminary hearing in San Francisco Superior Court on February 8, but was released to home supervision. He also has suffered multiple prior felony convictions, as alleged in the complaint.
On Wednesday, KPIX learned Bailey had been arrested by San Francisco police in April of last year following a pursuit.
Documents from the San Francisco Police Department confirmed that Bailey had been arrested on April 4, 2020, with another robbery suspect, 24-year-old Oakland resident Melissa Taylor.
In that instance, Bailey and Taylor fled a robbery and were pursued by San Francisco police onto the Bay Bridge, forcing authorities to briefly stop traffic on the span at one point. When the pair were taken into custody on Treasure Island, an infant baby was found inside their vehicle.
At the time of that arrest, Bailey was booked for felony charges of robbery, conspiracy, possession of stolen property, parole violation, child endangerment and multiple counts of destroying evidence.
KPIX 5 asked San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin about Bailey's case during a Thursday press conference where Boudin and other city officials were making a stand against the recent violence against Asian and Asian American Bay Area residents.
"The case against Mr. Bailey in San Francisco, the only case that has ever been filed against him, was filed under my leadership. It was, from an evidentiary standpoint, a very weak case. We held him in San Francisco County Jail for 179 days, and given the state of the evidence, we could not legally or in good conscience hold him longer on such weak evidence and given his very minimal role in a very serious crime," Boudin said.
Bailey entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge, not robbery, but has not been sentenced in that crime yet.