Wilmington Councilmember James Spadola is holding a press conference on Wednesday at noon with Councilmembers Maria Cabrera, Philadelphia Councilmember Helen Gym, and Steven Suh, the son of the Korean-American victim.
The event aims to build awareness of the recent attack on the owner of Solid Gold Jewelers on Ninth Street in Wilmington.
On September 15, the 68-year-old owner was robbed and severely beaten during a mid-morning robbery, that led him to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit and later moved into a rehabilitation hospital where he is re-learning how to walk and talk.
Wilmington Police have identified 39-year-old Calvin Ushery as the suspect and have arrested and charged Ushery with robbery and weapons offenses.
The department did not initially release details of the robbery and beating. Roberies in Wilmington have declined in recent years, according to the city’s CompStat reports. However, the number of robberies did increase in a month-long period that ended in mid-September.
Delaware Online reported that the Solid Gold business had been recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and looting that took place following the murder of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis policeman.
Steve Suh has set up a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $85,000 to pay for rehab costs and allow him to have enough money for retirement.
The victim’s business had been in existence for 35 years.
