New York doormen fired after closing the doors to the building while a 65-year-old Asian woman was attacked outside the door

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The Brodsky organization, which owns the building at 360 W. 43rd St. in Manhattan, said in a statement Tuesday that it had completed an investigation into the porters’ response to the March 29 attack.

“The full lobby video shows that once the attacker left, the doormen came out to assist the victim and flag an NYPD vehicle. It is clear that the required emergency and security protocols were not followed,” the company said.

“We are extremely distraught and shocked by this incident, and our hearts go out to the victim,” it added.

The porters were suspended after the attack, pending the outcome of the investigation. Residents of the building had defended the men in an open letter to the organization, saying that surveillance footage “ certainly misrepresented their actions ” and that they did not believe that the staff members were “ us as residents, our Midtown Manhattan community, nor our fellow -AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) New Yorkers. “

Brandon Elliot, the alleged attacker, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two charges of second-degree assault as a hate crime and one charge of first-degree attempted sexual assault as a hate crime, the police said. New York Police Department

Elliot, 38, is said to have made anti-Asian statements against the woman during the physical attack. The woman had serious injuries, including bruises and a broken pelvis, and was treated in a Manhattan hospital, according to the NYPD.

GoFundMe page for Asian hate crime victim in New York brings in thousands of donations

The mid-morning attack took place against the backdrop of attacks on Asians and Asian-Americans, including the Atlanta spa shooting that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women.

The NYPD registered 31 anti-Asian hate crimes in the city so far this year, compared to zero this time last year.

Local union SEIU 32BJ identified the two laid-off workers as a doorman and janitor who are union members. President Kyle Bragg said in a statement that the union “consists of a majority of immigrants, black and brown workers.”

According to their collective bargaining agreement, both employees have the right to file complaints. There is a contractual process to challenge terminations. The employees have initiated that process, but the process has only just begun and can take weeks or months. said Bragg. “We take anti-Asian hatred and all forms of discrimination seriously.”

CNN’s Laura Ly contributed to this report.

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