71-year-old Japanese American professor and U.S. veteran needs help after apparent hate crime has left him with severe injuries
Aki Maehara, a 71-year-old Japanese American professor and U.S. veteran is recovering after an apparent hate crime has left him with severe injuries, including a hairline fracture and a serious concussion.
Prof. Aki Maehara believes the attack was targeted because of his work dedicated to educating students about Asian Americans and other important race-related studies at East Los Angeles College.
Prof. Maehara recounted the attack:
On Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 - while biking back to my house, I saw headlights behind me. I turned to check and saw a car coming right at me. I turned toward the curb to find a drive way to avoid being hit. I heard someone yell, "F'g Chink! as I got hit, then I heard, "Go back to Chink-land." As I laid on the ground, he drove away. I sustained a concussion. Cheek bone fracture, neck injury. Swelling and bruising from my face to my upper chest. Bruised ribs, hips, thigh and ankle. Elbow was torn open. I was in the Veterans Hospital for one day. I had tensions from a former housemate who had ties to white [supremacists] groups & had received threats from an individual in these hate groups. The Montebello Police Department is currently investigating and seeking evidence as an, "attempted vehicular [homicide].”
Reporting from the L.A. Times said that Prof. Maehara couldn’t afford an ambulance when he was attacked. Instead, he called friends who then took him to the V.A. hospital in Long Beach.
“The most pressing milestone is to get a professional home health aide into Aki's home,” Prof. Maehara’s GoFundMe says. “Aki was released from the V.A. Hospital 3 days after this vicious crime. He is unable to: prepare meals, bath himself, clean his blood stained bed sheets, or change his bandages.”
Before going into academia, despite his family being forced to live in U.S. concentration camps during WWII, Prof. Maehara served in the U.S. military and is a Vietnam Veteran.
