CHICAGO — Last week, a military veteran who was assaulted outside a South Loop grocery store shared his experience during a press conference on Sunday.
Kevin Qin, the victim, revealed that the attack resulted in injuries to his head and body, and he even lost consciousness.
Qin mentioned that the attackers made derogatory racial remarks, which he believes may have been the motivation behind the assault.
“What happened was very tragic and something I thought would never occur in my life,” Qin stated.
Nearly a week has passed since Qin was violently attacked while heading to a Jewel-Osco in the South Loop to buy ice cream.
“This is quite unsettling due to the severity of the situation and the fact that I was attacked by eight or nine individuals,” he added.
Chicago police reported that the attack took place at around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday near Roosevelt Road & South Wabash Avenue.
Qin explained that he was near the entrance of the grocery store and walked around a woman who was exiting with a shopping cart. According to Qin, this woman allegedly hit him before a large group of men approached.
Qin, along with community activists and Asian-American neighbors, labeled the attack as a hate crime, although Chicago police have yet to determine the motive.
“I believe there was a significant racial component due to the comments made,” Qin said.
The 41-year-old veteran, who served with the United States Marines in Iraq, noted that his military training provided a significant advantage in defending himself against the attackers. However, he expressed concern that such an attack could recur with untrained individuals, as he views the store location as a hotspot for crime.
“The parking lot situation, with many people loitering, smoking, using drugs, drinking alcohol, and sometimes engaging in fights, makes it a troubled area,” commented Qin.
Beyond expressing his wish for the South Loop store to become a safer shopping location, Qin called for stricter laws targeting perpetrators of such crimes.
“Those who commit these crimes know there’s little consequence, often just a slap on the wrist,” Qin remarked.
Qin noted that none of his belongings were stolen during the attack, which further makes him question the attackers’ motives.
A Jewel-Osco spokesperson stated that they are cooperating with authorities and mentioned that detectives have reviewed security footage of the alleged incident.
