Daughter says father ‘will never be the same’ as Sacramento hate-crime suspect appears in court

Family describes the devastation after a Sacramento man suffers irreversible brain damage in an alleged hate crime assault, as the accused attacker appears in court.

SACRAMENTO, Calif — The daughter of a Sacramento man left in a coma after a violent Halloween-night assault says her father “will never be the same,” as the man accused in the attack appeared in court Monday on hate-crime charges.

Police say officers found 57-year-old Alvin Prasad unconscious with severe injuries around 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 1 along K Street in Lavender Heights, Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ district known for its nightlife and its proximity to the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Prasad had just left Badlands nightclub with his daughter and a family friend when the alleged attack occurred.

Prasad’s daughter, Andrea, told ABC10 the attack began when a stranger insulted her father’s flamboyant Halloween outfit as they walked toward their car.

“He calls my dad weird,” she said. “He says it in a very rude, aggressive way… like he wants to hurt my dad.”

Andrea said her father turned to ask why the man spoke to him that way. Within seconds, the confrontation escalated.

Family friend Jonathon Wisniski, who was walking just ahead of them, said he turned around just in time to witness the punch.

“He cocked back and he punched Alvin right in the forehead… everything in me just went numb,” Wisniski said.

Prasad fell backward onto the concrete, striking his head, they said.

“He’s lying flat on his back, and he’s, for lack of a better expression, he’s breathing like a fish out of water,” Wisniski said. “He seemed like he was seizing up. Before I rolled him, I noticed that he was bleeding from the back of his head.”

Andrea said she called 911 while begging her father to respond.

“I kept calling out to him,” she said. “I was calling him daddy… he wasn’t responding.”

Prasad has been in a coma since the attack, Andrea said, with permanent brain damage affecting both sides of his brain.

“He’ll never be the same,” she said. “He can’t express himself… can’t go out dancing. It’s just… it’s not the same.”

Officers arrested 24-year-old Sean Wesley Payton Jr. nearby.

According to a felony complaint filed by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, Payton is charged with assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, personally inflicting great bodily injury, a hate-crime allegation and resisting arrest. Jail logs show he is being held without bail.

Prasad had just retired and planned to move to Palm Springs to start the next chapter of his life.

“He wanted to start fresh and live life a little more fun,” Andrea said. “Everyone has a right to be who they are… my dad felt that way too.”

In a statement, Sacramento LGBT Community Center CEO David Heitstuman said the attack on Prasad comes amid what the center views as a troubling rise in violence in Lavender Heights.

“We are deeply concerned by recent violence in Lavender Heights, including the brutal attack that left a long-time community member, Alvin Prasad, in the ICU. Our hearts are with their loved ones,” Heitstuman said. “We’ve also learned of several other bias and hate-related incidents in the neighborhood, from an attempt to tear down the Center’s Pride flag and broken windows to multiple attacks targeting LGBTQ+ people over the last several months. These acts harm our community and threaten the sense of safety and belonging in the place we call home. We are in contact with the Sacramento Police Department regarding the recent series of incidents and intend to engage in a community conversation regarding safety in the area.”