PHOENIX — Phoenix police are investigating an alleged racially motivated attack in the crowd of a recent Phoenix Suns game.
Phoenix police say they received a report of a man who says someone threw a beer can at him at the Suns game Tuesday night.
According to a social media post, the man also heard someone yell “f*** Asians” as the bottle was being thrown.
Police say a report was taken of the incident, but the suspect could not be seen on surveillance video, and the victim was not able to give a description.
The Phoenix Suns acknowledged the incident in a social media post and said in part that "discrimination and hate crimes of any nature are not tolerated by the [Suns] or [the arena.]" The team says they are working closely with the alleged victim and police as they investigate.
.@Ceoasian we are working closely with your friend and @phoenixpolice to thoroughly investigate the incident. Discrimination and hate crimes of any nature are not tolerated by @Suns or @PHXarena.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 31, 2021
The Suns also posted this statement on social media with the hashtag "#stopAsianhate" days before the alleged attack at their arena.
#StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/3AYELmEcRu
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 22, 2021
Vicente Reid, the CEO of the Arizona Asian Chamber of Commerce, said he knows the victim involved. Reid was the one who tweeted to the Phoenix Suns about the incident this week.
"He was really frustrated, he was angry," Reid said of his friend. "Not necessarily because he got hit but because his young children had to experience racism like that."
Reid said his friend had his two children, ages 10 and 4, with him at the time of the incident.
Reid told ABC15 with incidents across the country, he isn't sure the solution but does welcome support.
"Go visit family-owned Asian business," he said. "We need your help. We've been hit by the pandemic twice. Not only the COVID-19 pandemic but a pandemic of ignorance."
