AAPI Community Joins in Healing Circle Following Fatal Attack in Oakland's Little Saigon

The call to action continues as countless numbers of people mourn the death of yet another member of the Asian community shot dead in the street.

Prominent dentist Lili Xu was gunned down Sunday afternoon in Oakland's Little Saigon during an attempted robbery.

The call to action took place in a form of healing Tuesday.

“We've been at this for a year and a half, two years,” said a community member. “It’s hard to say what’s changed.”

According to the AAPI community, nothing has changed because evidence shows that Asians seem to be under attack on Bay Area streets.

“Constantly seeing on the news another auntie, another grandma, sister, brother killed-- burglarized attacked unprovoked all of these things,” said the community member.

The healing circle took place two days after Xu was shot and killed in a robbery attempt. Oakland police are still looking for leads.

Just last month, Patrick Fung was gunned down in the same community while waiting to make a delivery -- both crimes caught on surveillance video.

Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council head Elaine Peng said it’s time to come out of the shadows and make noise.

“We want to keep quiet in our community,” she said. “We must make our voice loudly enough this time.”

The community said they want to hear voices from other communities in the form of outrage.

“When George Floyd was killed, 15 minutes after video was published, protests were breaking out across the nation,” said Peng. “When an Asian American being attacked or murder what is being done about it? Nothing!”

In between rage and grief, this group wants to hear more from politicians. But more importantly they want to feel safe.  

Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Jennifer Trans, said that’s what everyone should want.

“Our experiences are connected to what’s happening citywide that means we need citywide solutions and collaborations and citywide efforts to stop this violence,” she said.