Police are looking for the lead-footed vandal responsible for damaging a shrine to murdered Chinatown resident Christina Yuna Lee.
Mourning locals were left in disbelief on Feb. 16 after a memorial consisting of flowers and candles honoring the life of Lee was trashed outside of her former residence at 111 Chrystie Street. Community advocates like Executive Director of the Chinatown BID/Partnership Wellington Chen were left to scramble and pick up the pieces of the sacred vigil. However, the NYPD says they have not quit looking for the callous creep.
On March 16 the Police Department released a surveillance video of a man hoisting a large backpack and wearing boots and an oversized jacket walking at around 8 a.m. in front of where Lee was stabbed to death earlier that month before violently kicking the shrine.
Police say the man is wanted for criminal mischief and is asking for tips on the suspect’s whereabouts.
Chen, who helped restore the shrine, called the destruction “A tremendous setback for a community which continues to reel from anti-Asian violence.”
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are strictly confidential.
