Fil-Am student struck with frozen eggs in anti-Asian attack

Christian Pelayo was allegedly struck with frozen eggs in what was reported to the police as an anti-Asian attack. Image: screencap/ABC News 10

SAN DIEGO – A Filipino American graduate student at the University of California San Diego was allegedly pelted with frozen eggs near the Mesa College campus last week in what was reported to the police as an anti-Asian attack.

Christian Pelayo, 27, was walking a friend’s dog when a car pulled up behind him.

“Suddenly, something hard hit the side of my head … Felt ringing in the left side of my face. A hard object, hard enough for my glasses and earring to come off,” Pelayo, who suffered bruising from the attack, told ABC News 10.

“I heard someone shout a racial slur. Then the others in the car said, ‘Go! Go! Go!’ and they sped off.”

Pelayo said he was struck two more times by frozen eggs before the attackers sped off in a black sedan.

“I kind of ducked down, and two more hit on my back,” said Pelayo. “I was hit Thursday but bruised over the weekend. I can imagine some older person could really be hurt by these things,” he said.

“I feel like in a post-COVID world and seeing crimes against Asians, I worry about someone like my little sister walking around and being targeted for these things… I felt comfortable in my skin around here. Now it’s like, ‘Should l be watching my back every time I hear a car pull up?’” said Pelayo, who reported the incident to the campus police.

CAIR-San Diego condemned the attack, urging authorities “to treat it with the seriousness it deserves and to bring the alleged assailant to justice.”

“We express our solidarity with the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community as it is increasingly targeted by bigotry,” said  CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the San Diego Community College District Police.

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