AH-July-2024
Welcome to interactive presentation, created with Publuu. Enjoy the reading!
News
06
www.asianhospitality.com
July 2024 | Issue 227
klahoma City hotelier Hemant
Shantilal Mistry died on June 23
following an assault in his motel
parking lot the previous night. Richard
Lewis, 41, was arrested in connection
with the attack in which police say he
punched Mistry, who died from the
impact.
Mistry, 59, an AAHOA member, is the
second Indo American hotelier this year
to die from on-duty violence following
the murder of Pravin R. Patel, owner of
the Hillcrest Motel in ShefÏeld, Alabama,
in February.
A video of the assault has gone viral
on social media, showing Mistry in a
white t-shirt arguing with Lewis in a sky
blue t-shirt. The argument escalates,
culminating in Lewis punching Mistry in
the face. Mistry collapses as Lewis walks
away. Police found Mistry unconscious
around 10:00 pm and transported him to
a nearby hospital, where he died at 7:40
pm the following day from his injuries,
according to a police report.
Lewis was apprehended at a hotel on
S. Meridian Avenue and is held at the
Oklahoma County Jail on a $100,000
bond, facing charges of aggravated
assault and battery, Oklahoma City Free
Press reported.
Leaving a ‘gaping hole’
Mistry, from Bilimora, Gujarat, was
an active member of the Gujarati
Samaj of Oklahoma Inc., where he led
the donation campaign, according to
Hindustan Times.
One of Mistry’s close friends, Jyoti
Mistry, posted on Facebook, mourning
his untimely death: “Miss you, dear
friend Hemant Mistry. You have always
been generous and loving to everyone.”
“Your sudden absence has left a gaping
hole in our hearts. We are consumed by
grief but cherish the memories you left
behind. I will never forget our last dinner
together, not even two weeks ago, where
we relived the moments of our lives.”
AAHOA condemned the incident,
drawing parallels to Patel’s
murder, and urged hoteliers to
prioritize safety protocols and avoid
handling confrontational situations
independently.
“Our hearts go out to Hemant’s family,
including his wife and children,” said
Miraj Patel, AAHOA’s chairman. “For
many AAHOA Members, hotels are not
just businesses; they are homes and
places of refuge. It is unimaginable to
our community that such a senseless act
of violence could occur. As someone who
grew up in my family’s hotel in Texas,
I understand the fear and dread that
comes with such violent situations.”
Safety first
AAHOA urged hoteliers to prioritize
safety protocols and advised engaging
law enforcement during confrontational
situations to mitigate risks to personal
safety. This recommendation aligns with
the Surgeon General’s recent report on
escalating gun violence, emphasizing
the importance of heightened vigilance
and professional intervention to prevent
unnecessary loss of innocent lives.
“Our hearts are deeply saddened by
the tragic loss of one of our beloved
members,” said Laura Lee Blake,
AAHOA’s president and CEO. “Incidents
like these are profoundly distressing
for all involved. Our prayers are with
Hemant’s family and loved ones during
this incredibly challenging period.
AAHOA is committed to honoring
Hemant’s life by raising awareness to
prevent future violence.”
Miraj said he has received numerous
calls and texts from the hotelier
community seeking ways to combat such
violence on their properties. In response,
AAHOA is accelerating the development
of educational resources to help hotel
owners minimize conflict and prevent
violent incidents by teaching effective
de-escalation techniques.
“We will strive to honor Hemant’s life
by promoting the importance of hotel
safety and security and advocating for
laws and policies that protect business
owners and their communities,” said
Miraj. “If our collective efforts can
prevent this from happening to even one
family in the future, we know our work
will not be in vain and that Hemant’s
legacy will live on in the AAHOA
Community and beyond.”
In 2021, Usha and Dilip Patel were
shot in their Elkton, Maryland, hotel
following an argument with a guest. Usha
was killed, and Dilip was hospitalized. In
the same year, a shooting at a Motel 6 in
Vernon, Connecticut, killed the 30-year-
old owner, Zeshan Chaudhry, after an
argument with a guest over a $10 pool
pass. In 2020, Cleveland, Mississippi,
hotelier Yogesh Patel was beaten to death
by a guest he had evicted from the Delta
Inn Motel.
Oklahoma hotel owner
dead after assault
Mistry is the second Indo American hotelier to die from on-duty violence this year
Hemant Shantilal Mistry, 59,
left, an Indo American hotel
owner and AAHOA member,
died on June 23 after an
assault in his Oklahoma City
motel parking lot. Richard
Lewis, 41, right, was arrested
in connection with the
attack in which police say he
punched Mistry, who died
from the impact. Photos
courtesy of India Today,
Oklahoma City Free Press,
and Oklahoma City Police
Department.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36