Fremont, California, residents on Friday remembered Michelle Go, who was pushed in front of an oncoming subway train in New York City last weekend, at a vigil organized in her hometown.
Go, a 40-year-old Asian-American woman, was standing on the platform inside the Times Square subway station on the morning of Jan 15. when Simon Martial, 61, pushed her in front of an R train as it rolled in, police have said. She did not survive the impact.
Martial was charged with second-degree murder. On Wednesday, a Manhattan judge ordered him held without bail and required that he undergo a mental health evaluation to determine whether he is mentally fit.
Michelle Go, left, and Simon Martial being arrested.
(LinkedIn, WNYW)
“All who knew Michelle are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of her tragic death in a senseless act of violence in Times Square on Saturday, January 15,” her family said in a statement on their GoFundMe page for Go’s funeral and memorial services. “Michelle was a vibrant, hilarious, beloved and thoughtful friend, daughter, sister, coworker and public advocate.”
MICHELLE ALYSSA GO: ACCUSED NYC SUBWAY SHOVER HELD WITHOUT BAIL AS COPS PROBE FOR RACIAL BIAS
Her family added that “there has been a tremendous outpouring of sympathy and support from those who knew her around the world, as she is remembered as a caring, natural leader and loyal friend.”
“She will be greatly missed,” Go’s family said.
The event in Fremont was one of three vigils Go’s family scheduled in New York City, San Francisco and Fremont this week, according to a social media post from her family. Go was originally from the California city in San Francisco’s Bay Area, according to KNTV.
Dozens of people reportedly gathered for the vigil on Friday, including many who did not personally know her, KNTV reported.
“I may not know her, but the fact that she graduated from the school my kids went to and she grew up in Fremont it makes it more like closer to home,” Fremont resident Michelle Ng told the outlet.
NYC SUBWAY ATTACK VICTIM MICHELLE ALYSSA GO TO BE HONORED WITH TIMES SQUARE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Go was an avid volunteer who worked as a senior manager for Deloitte Consulting. She was honored with a candlelight vigil in Times Square on Tuesday night, when her face shone on signs and billboards.
Her attack has prompted calls to “stop Asian hate” amid a significant increase in hate crimes in New York City. Ben Wei, founder and executive director of “Asians Fighting Injustice,” organized a Wednesday vigil for Go in New York City. He said the news that “another member of our community – the [Asian Americans and Pacific Islander] community here in New York being taken from us” is a story that “we’ve heard way too often over the past two years.”
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Fox News Digital was first to obtain the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) total year-end hate crime statics on Friday, which show reports of anti-Asian attacks skyrocketed by a staggering 343% – from 30 in 2020 to 133 in 2021.
And reports of anti-Hispanic hate crimes soared 700%, with 8 last year compared to the single incident in 2020, the NYPD said. But reports of anti-Semitic attacks accounted for 38% – the plurality – of the hate crime cases covered by the NYPD last year.
In all, the NYPD received 538 reports of hate crimes last year – up 96% from the 275 in 2020.
Fox News’ Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.
