A 70-year-old Sikh man, Harpal Singh, is fighting for his life after a brutal assault in North Hollywood on August 4 that left him with a skull fracture, potential brain trauma, and multiple broken facial bones.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Singh was attacked during his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles, close to a 7-Eleven store at the intersection of Saticoy Street and Lankershim Boulevard.
Police said the suspect, identified as 44-year-old “unhoused” man Bo Richard Vitagliano, assaulted Singh with a deadly weapon—believed to be a golf club.
Vitagliano was arrested on August 12 and booked for assault with a deadly weapon, with bail set at USD 1.1 million.
Singh remains in critical condition and in an induced coma after undergoing three surgeries for bleeding in the brain and severe facial injuries.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud commotion before seeing two men swinging metal objects at each other. Singh was struck and knocked to the ground, after which Vitagliano allegedly continued the assault.
“Brutally attacked. I don't know how God saved him. He was almost dead,” said Singh’s brother, Dr. Gurdial Singh Randhawa.
A disturbing video from after the attack shows Singh sitting on the sidewalk in a pool of his own blood, with the weapon still lying at his feet.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics rushed Singh to a hospital, where he has remained unresponsive.
“The fact that this happened and no one came to stop it until the point that Dr. Singh was just left in such critical condition, absolutely has spread fear in our community," said Munmeeth Kaur, Legal Director of The Sikh Coalition.
The LAPD said preliminary evidence suggests the assault was not a hate crime, but rather the result of a dispute over property belonging to the victim.
However, The Sikh Coalition emphasised, “It is impossible to completely rule out that this is a hate crime at this stage. The suspect has been in custody for less than 24 hours, and Harpal ji himself remains unconscious and has thus been unable to sit for a full police interview… After such an interview happens, if the LAPD still believes this was not a hate crime, they must publicly clarify how they determined hate was not a factor in this assault.”
Dr. Randhawa expressed gratitude for the arrest but questioned the investigation’s direction. “We need to better understand this attack and why it is not being considered a hate crime. Justice must be served, and our local Sikh community must know that the area around our gurdwara—where we gather to worship, learn, connect, eat, and serve others—is safe for all,” he said.
Advocacy group UNITED SIKHS condemned the attack, writing on X: “An attack on one is an attack on all. UNITED SIKHS strongly condemns the brutal assault on an elderly Sikh man in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Such acts of hate are not just crimes against individuals. They are attacks on the values of safety, dignity, and humanity that every community deserves. We stand with Harpal Singh and his family in unwavering solidarity during this painful time. Hate must never be normalized, and silence is not an option.”
On August 11, UNITED SIKHS joined the Los Angeles Sangat in a rally organised by The Sikh Coalition to demand justice for Singh. Community elders, leaders, and officials gathered to call for safety for elders, unity against hate, and a thorough investigation.
Bhupinder Kaur, Manager of the UMEED Helpline at UNITED SIKHS, stood alongside the Los Angeles Sangat and allies, calling for justice, safety for our elders, and unity against hate.
LAPD said it will conduct extra patrols in the area and continue engaging with the Sikh community on public safety concerns.
With inputs from agencies