Brutally injured Olympian Kim Glass has mentioned getting practically blinded by a homeless man in Los Angeles has compelled her to develop into an “agent of change” to cease violent criminals from being left free to strike once more.
“You guys are solely listening to actually about me as a result of I’m an Olympian,” the silver-medal-winning volleyball participant mentioned Wednesday concerning the highlight on her ordeal.
However the true subject, she pressured, was that the person charged with flinging a 10-inch steel bolt at her face was free on parole regardless of having “assaulted many individuals earlier than.”
“And he’s violated probation, and he’s violated paroles … and [he’s still] doing the identical factor,” she mentioned of Semeon Tesfamariam, 51, who officers confirmed had twice been convicted of felony assaults.
“However you guys didn’t hear from his former victims. And also you guys haven’t heard from the opposite victims of the opposite assaults which have been taking place — repeatedly taking place — within the metropolis,” she mentioned of L.A.
“In order that they should be vindicated. And we will’t drop the ball on this,” she mentioned in an emotional practically six-and-a-half-minute lengthy video.
The give attention to her nightmare ordeal has left her decided to be an “agent of change” who will “get up for the victims of those crimes and clear our streets,” she mentioned.
“As a result of it’s actually clear that issues have to vary. That’s evident,” she mentioned, revealing that a few of L.A.’s “political leaders have reached out” to her, with out figuring out whom.
“I simply I don’t need this to occur anyone else,” she mentioned.
With out that change conserving harmful felons behind bars, “we’re placing our residents, our healthcare employees, our cops — everybody — in hurt’s means,” she mentioned.
“We’re letting our society down. And we’re additionally letting folks like [her attacker] down, as a result of he doesn’t belong to the streets.”
L.A. County District Legal professional George Gascon — who's dealing with recall efforts over his soft-on-crime reforms — confirmed that Tesfamariam “has a troubling historical past of attacking apparently random folks with harmful weapons.”
Gascon mentioned he efficiently petitioned to lastly get him detained “to guard the general public.” Nevertheless, he famous that Tesfamariam may be can be declared unfit to face trial, the place he faces as much as 11 years for felony assault with a lethal weapon.
Glass mentioned Thursday that her attacker is clearly “not mentally properly.”
“I do really feel for him rather a lot,” she mentioned. However “feeling for someone and holding them accountable doesn’t must be mutually unique,” she pressured.
“He must be off the streets. And I hope that he will get the complete 11 years — after which some — and I hope whereas he’s doing it that he will get assist,” she mentioned.
Glass, who has appeared in Sports activities Illustrated’s swimsuit subject in addition to ESPN’s The Physique Subject, joked that her fractured eye had made her “seem like ET.”
By Wednesday, she was lastly capable of open it once more, with the deep black bruising additionally beginning to fade barely.
Her assault was simply the newest instance of violence and decay from mentally in poor health folks being left homeless on the streets of LA — a disaster that has seen many fleeing the California metropolis.
The “Recall George Gascon” marketing campaign final week offered greater than 717,000 signed petitions within the hope of triggering a vote to unseat the controversial prime prosecutor blamed for placing offenders’ freedom over residents’ security.
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