Man who punched elderly Asian woman 125 times pleads guilty to hate crime

A 42-year-old Black man, who was caught on video viciously attacking an elderly Asian woman in New York, pleaded guilty to a hate crime.

The man, identified as Tammel Esco, punched the woman at least 125 times as she tried to enter her building on Riverdale Avenue in March earlier this year. The man went on hitting the woman continuously in and around her head after calling her an "Asian b****."

According to a report by NBC News, the man used to live in the same building and had waited outside before attacking her. He even spat on her while repeatedly stomping on her body.

The woman of Filipino descent suffered a brain hemorrhage, multiple facial fractures, bruising, and lacerations to her head and face. The attack was described as one of the most appalling assaults by the Yonkers police commissioner.

The woman is alive today only because of a witness who called 911 in time. "I started knocking on the door, and when I did that it caught his attention, and that's when he got off of her," said Yvette Crespo.

"He went out that door, went to the corner, put his hands up," and roared, she said. The elderly woman was rushed to Westchester Medical Center where she was treated for her injuries. Esco was arrested the same day and remained without bail.

He had served time for stabbing someone in 2010 and had been arrested fourteen times previously.

The Westchester County District Attorney's office confirmed that he pleaded guilty today to first-degree assault hate crime on Tuesday. He is due to be sentenced on November 29 to seventeen and a half years in state prison.

"Today's agreement secures justice for the brave victim who endured the shocking attack and its aftermath, and for a community impacted by the trauma of this hate-driven violence," said Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah.