An Asian man assaulted in the drive-thru of a McDonald's last Saturday said the man who allegedly attacked him hurled racist insults at him. The incident comes as the United States has seen a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in recent years.
Shang Wang drove to the fast food restaurant in Rockville, Maryland, when he passed by a red Nissan SUV that was idling and blocking the drive-thru from other customers, which prompted Wang to drive around the car to order his Diet Coke, local news station WJLA-TV reported.
Wang said that he "didn't think anything of it" when he drove around the car, but he soon heard "constant honking" from behind him, adding that he was confused and bewildered.
"And then I hear these racial comments. 'Go back to China! Hey, you Chinese MF'er!' And I look up, this guy is at my window and he spits through my window, and the spit lands on my face," he told the news station.
Wang then got out of his vehicle to confront the man, who then allegedly began kicking at him and spitting at him more, according to the news station. Wang then called 911, but when police arrived, the alleged attacker, who has been identified as 54-year-old Brandon Storm, fled the scene.
Police investigating the alleged attack went through surveillance video from the restaurant and identified Storm, who a police report described as being in a "fit of rage," WJLA reported. However, Storm has not been charged with a hate crime because only Wang heard the alleged racist insults.
Wang, who emigrated from Taiwan in 1977, told the news station the situation left him feeling violated.
"What are you supposed to do when someone starts spitting at you with these racial taunts?" he asked. "He even said he was going to come to my house and rape my wife and kids. I wasn't too worried though because I'm not married and I don't have any kids."
When confronted by the news station on Tuesday outside his job, Storm allegedly hurled expletives at WJLA reporter Kevin Lewis, adding that he would "see you guys in court" in regards to the alleged attack.
Syed Chishty, a cashier at McDonald's who witnessed the incident, told the news station that Wang is a regular customer who has always been nice. Chishty said Storm allegedly spitting in Wang's face was "so unnecessary."
Rise in Anti-Asian Hate Crimes
The U.S. has seen a rise in hate crimes against Asian people in the past few years, as experts point to the coronavirus pandemic as contributing to the concerning increase in anti-Asian sentiment among some Americans. Maryland's state government last year announced new initiatives to combat rising anti-Asian hate crimes.
In recent months, there have been several other anti-Asian incidents across the country. In March, a man went on a racist tirade on a New York City subway. In February, a Texas man confessed to attacking an Asian family with a knife because he believed they were responsible for the pandemic.
Newsweek reached out to the Montgomery County Police Department and McDonald's for comment.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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