The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office announced the indictment
of Tammel ESCO in relation to a violent attack on an elderly Asian woman earlier this year.
On March 11, 2022, in an apartment building on Riverdale Avenue in Yonkers, ESCO
approached an Asian woman inside the vestibule of the building. ESCO was captured on
surveillance video punching the 67-year-old Asian woman more than 100 times, repeatedly
stomping on her, then spitting on her, all while yelling racially offensive slurs at her.
Yonkers Police Officers and Detectives quickly responded to the scene to render aid to the
female victim. The victim was transported to the Westchester Medical Center and suffered
bleeding on the brain, multiple facial fractures, and bruising and lacerations to the head
and face. Yonkers Police Detectives placed ESCO under arrest shortly thereafter.
ESCO was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for Attempted Murder in the
Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First
Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the First Degree, three counts of Assault in the Second
Degree as a Hate Crime, and three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, all violent felonies.
ESCO was arraigned in Westchester County Court on July 19, 2022 and is being held without
bail.
“Due to the quick response by our Officers and Detectives, this woman received the medical
attention that she urgently needed, all while an intense investigation took place resulting in the
quick arrest of this violent individual,” said Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher
Sapienza. “This investigation included top-tier Police work which led to the arrest and now
indictment of this man. He will now have to face the justice system to answer for his actions as
the courts hold him accountable for this violent crime. The Yonkers Police Department does not
tolerate violence in our city, especially not acts of violence rooted in bias.”
Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced that Yonkers resident Tammel Esco was indicted on multiple hate crime charges for allegedly punching a 67-year-old Asian woman more than 100 times, repeatedly stomping on her upper body, and spitting on her. Esco also directed racially offensive language at the victim.
Esco, 42, was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for Attempted Murder in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the First Degree, three counts of Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, and three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, all violent felonies. The defendant was arraigned in Westchester County Court on July 19, 2022, and is being held without bail.
It is alleged that on March 11, 2022, at approximately 6:07 p.m., Esco approached the victim
from behind as she entered the vestibule of her apartment building on Riverdale Avenue in
Yonkers. He then punched her in the head, knocking her to the ground. Esco continued to punch
the victim more than 100 times, repeatedly stomped on her upper body while wearing
construction boots, and then spit on her.
The victim, who is of Filipino descent, was transported to Westchester Medical Center in
Valhalla, where she was treated for bleeding on the brain, multiple facial fractures, and bruising
and lacerations to the head and face.
Esco is scheduled to appear again in court on August 2, 2022. The case is before Judge Anne Minihan in Westchester County Court, and is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Catalina Blanco Buitrago of the Trials and Investigations Division.
If you are a victim or a witness to a hate crime or bias incident, please contact the District
Attorney’s Office at (914) 995-TIPS.
