Man convicted in Oakland Chinatown assaults accused of new attacks against elderly women
By Tim Fang
A man who was convicted in a series of attacks targeting elderly victims in Oakland’s Chinatown during the COVID-19 pandemic has been charged in connection with a series of new attacks, prosecutors said.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to CBS News Bay Area on Friday that charges were filed against 33-year-old Yahya Muslim. According to prosecutors, Muslim is accused of attacking two elderly women near Broadway and West Grand Avenue in Oakland on July 26.
Muslim is facing four felony counts, including two counts of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and two counts of elder abuse.
In 2021, Muslim was charged with assault, battery and elder abuse in connection with three attacks in Oakland’s Chinatown, including the assault of a 91-year-old man that was caught on video. The incidents occurred amid a spike in harassment and hate crimes targeting Asians during the pandemic.
Prosecutors said at the time that he had two prior felony assault convictions. Muslim was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison in the case.
According to jail records, Muslim is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin without bail. Prosecutors said his next court appearances are a pretrial hearing on Aug. 7 and a preliminary hearing on Aug. 13.
