A 41-year-old homeless man, who was out on parole after spending nearly two decades behind bars for killing his mother, pleaded guilty Thursday for brutally assaulting an elderly Filipino woman during an anti-Asian hate crime in Manhattan in 2021.
Brandon Elliot admitted his guilt in Manhattan Supreme Court Dec. 13 and is expected to be sentenced to 15 years in prison when he returns to court next month.
Elliot, who had been living at a homeless shelter in Midtown Manhattan, had been out of prison for 17 months before the attack, after serving 16 years in prison for fatally stabbing his mother in 2002.
The anti-Asian assault came in March 2021, when Elliot approached the victim on the sidewalk near West 43rd Street and 8th Avenue, before hurling hateful remarks like “F— you, you don’t belong here” at the 65-year-old victim, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office.
Elliot, who is Black, was captured on surveillance video as his bigoted behavior turned violent — showing him knocking the woman to the ground, before repeatedly kicking her and stomping on her limp body.
After several moments, a passerby who witnessed the attack attempted to intervene, prompting the suspect to brandish a knife and threaten to kill the man, according to prosecutors.
Soon after, Elliot fled the scene — leaving the bruised woman lying on the sidewalk with severe injuries throughout her body.
Paramedics rushed the victim to a NYU Langone Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured pelvis, forehead contusions, and contusions across her body.
The victim, who has since recovered from her wounds, had been walking to church prior to the assault, NYPD officers said at the time.
Following the attack, police launched a citywide manhunt to track down the suspect and arrested him two days later with the help of a CrimeStoppers tip, authorities said.
“Brandon Elliot brutally and repeatedly assaulted a 65-year-old mother in a hate-fueled attack that shook our city,” said DA Bragg. “Everyone deserves to be safe and know they belong here, regardless of who they are. Anyone who commits acts of violence driven by hate will be prosecuted.”
After spending nearly three years in custody following the anti-Asian attack, Elliot agreed to plead guilty on Dec. 14 to two charges — assault as a hate crime, and criminal possession of a weapon.
He had faced a maximum of 25 years in prison, but is expected to be sentenced to 15 years behind bars when he returns to court on Jan. 3, 2024.
