On Monday, May 4th, a Manhattan Chinatown new immigrant who was injured in a random knife attack sought help at the office of Congressman Goldman. The victim was attacked by a man with a knife near Gran Street while on her way home late at night, resulting in severe injuries to her face and multiple stab wounds to her abdomen. Although she has been saved from life-threatening danger through rescue efforts, she has suffered immense physical and mental trauma, facing long-term challenges in recovery.
During the evening rush hour on April 3rd, the victim, Ms. Fu, and her friend were waiting for a ride-hailing car on the roadside to go home when they briefly got separated due to heavy traffic. As the ride-hailing car approached Ms. Fu, a stranger suddenly approached her from behind and launched the attack. He viciously slashed her face and repeatedly stabbed her abdomen. Bleeding profusely with nearly disfigured facial injuries and damage to her small intestine from deep stabbing, Ms. Fu struggled back to a nearby workplace for help after the incident. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and rushed her to the hospital, where she underwent a lengthy surgery to save her life.
On May 4th, Ms. Fu visited Congressman Goldman’s mobile office in Chinatown for assistance. Goldman’s team promptly offered various forms of support, including immigration legal advice (such as evaluating U visa applications), assisting with the application for New York State’s Victims Compensation (NYS OVS), and coordinating cosmetic and follow-up medical resources to help her with post-injury reconstruction.
According to the congressman’s office, the perpetrator, a mentally ill individual, has been arrested by the police. Due to the assailant’s mental condition and lack of financial capability, the victim faces practical difficulties in seeking civil compensation. Goldman stated that his office will continue to monitor the progress of the case and strive to assist the victim and her family in accessing available resources.
Goldman also pointed out that this case once again highlights the vulnerability of the Asian community in the face of random violent crime and the longstanding issue of insufficient resources in the mental health system. He emphasized that limitations in long-term mental health treatment resources in federal Medicaid, commonly known as “white card,” prevent some patients from receiving stable treatment, leading to homelessness and posing potential risks to public safety.
In response to these challenges, Goldman has been advocating for two pieces of legislation in Congress, including the “Michelle Alyssa Go Act,” aimed at increasing inpatient psychiatric beds eligible for Medicaid and requiring medical institutions to meet evidence-based treatment standards, and the “Strengthening Severe Mental Illness Medicaid Aid Act,” allowing states to provide more intensive treatment services for severely mentally ill patients to prevent crisis events at the source.
Goldman stated, “This incident once again reminds us that public safety is intertwined with mental health services. We must strengthen support for vulnerable groups and ensure that every resident can live safely in the community.”
Regarding these issues, Wang Di, a candidate for State Assembly in the 65th District, further pointed out that the current problem is not an isolated case but a long-term accumulation of systemic challenges. He stated that New York City has significantly reduced mental health resources over the past 20 years, leaving existing services far from adequate to meet the increasing demand.
Goldman’s office stated that they will continue to monitor the development of the case and collaborate with government and community organizations to promote more comprehensive response measures.