SF honors 'Grandpa Vicha' with senior safety resolution

District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong speaks with Michael Wong, Senior Program Director at San Francisco's Community Youth Center, about senior safety programs in City Hall on April 21, 2026. (Paula Sibulo/KQED)

Five years after a deadly attack on an elderly Asian man in San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors have unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday reaffirming the city's commitment to protecting elders and Asian Americans.

The resolution follows last month's court order to release the man who killed 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, also known as Grandpa Vicha.

Senior Power is an advocate group for elders in San Francisco. Founder Margaret Graf said some seniors avoid going outdoors in fear of getting attacked.

“I have neighbors who claim they have not left the house in years," Graf said. "You can get everything delivered, it’s doable. That’s sad. It’s just plain sad.”

District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong introduced the resolution and said extra protection for Asian American seniors presented itself the most during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As somebody that grew up in San Francisco, I was always aware of incidents where elderly seniors in our community that don't have language skills may appear to be more vulnerable because they may be less likely to report crimes," Wong said. They're often targeted in our communities."

Wong said he hopes the city will be able to provide resources to seniors like escort programs and Ring security cameras.

Listen to the story at KQED: https://omny.fm/shows/kqed-segmented-audio/kqed-newscast-bdeb4c87-ad32-4e41-abfa-9a9ead32eec7