The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) Statement on the Need for Safety in Tacoma, WA

(San Francisco, CA October 6, 2023)– Following the fatal shooting of a beloved Tacoma business owner, TAAF Chief Executive Officer Norman Chen issued the following statement in response:

“We are saddened to hear about the fatal shooting of Charlie Park, the beloved Korean American small business owner of The Little Store in Tacoma, WA who was murdered on Tuesday. We send our condolences to Charlie’s family, friends, and the greater Tacoma community.

If nothing else, all people deserve to feel safe in their own neighborhoods and the places they choose to call home. That is not our reality right now. According to the 2023 STAATUS Index, 1 in 2 Asian Americans report feeling unsafe in the U.S. due to their race/ethnicity, and among those 19% feel the least safe in their own neighborhood and 17% in their local market. Shops like The Little Store are woven into the fabric of the neighborhood, so regardless of motive, an attack on anyone in the community shakes the very feeling of security that we all deserve.

We will not stand for this violence, no one should fear going about their daily lives. We urge local leaders to work with the community to implement solutions to restore the feeling of safety in this neighborhood.”