Police: Juveniles ages 11 and 17 jump and assault elderly Asian man in California, steal his Fitbit

Two boys in California attacked an 80-year-old Asian man, knocked him down and fled with his Fitbit, authorities said.

On May 8 around 4 p.m., the elderly victim was walking down a street in San Leandro when the suspects, ages 11 and 17, jumped him. They wore hoodies and masks that concealed their faces, and the two can allegedly be heard laughing as they ran away in surveillance video footage police recovered, San Jose’s KNTV reported. 

According to the station, a third person who did not participate in the attack was spotted getting into a sedan with the boys and driving off.

A neighbor told KNTV the victim speculated to police that “he thought he was targeted for being Asian.”

“When something like this happens, we have to have a conversation, we have to explain to our kids why people make certain choices and decisions and why we now have to be super alert on an evening walk as a family even,” said another neighbor, Trang Le-Rabago, according to the station. 

Four days after the incident, the pair was arrested. Police said the 11-year-old boy was caught driving a car stolen during a May 10 carjacking in nearby Oakland.

The names of the suspects have not been released.

Law enforcement officials noted they are looking into “other crimes these juveniles may be associated with,” including the mugging of a Hispanic woman that occurred less than two hours after the Asian victim was assaulted. 

Police Lt. Ali Khan said, “We are thankful that we were able to capture these juveniles safely and expeditiously.”