SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – Many across the nation are reacting to the death of 35-year-old Christina Yuna Lee, the woman who was stabbed to death in her New York City apartment after being followed. 

Police arrested 25-year-old Assamad Nash on charges of murder and burglary. 

Lee’s death has sparked rallies protesting violence against Asian Americans in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York City.

Local groups here in the Bay Area say this tragedy hits close to home.

“This one was pretty tough. This one was hard. That video of me last night about the tips, I made it around 1 a.m. because I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to do something,” Hudson Liao said. 

Founder of San Francisco community organization, Asians Are Strong, Hudson Liao was emotional on Tuesday, talking about the murder of the 35-year-old.

“I have family out there and I know the neighborhood they were mentioning for Christina too and it’s scary,” Liao said. 

Lee died early Sunday morning after returning home to her Chinatown apartment in New York City. 

Surveillance video shows the suspect following Lee into her apartment building, where he later forced his way into Lee’s home.

When police finally gained access to her apartment, Lee was found dead in the bathtub, stabbed more than 40 times. 

Police found Nash hiding under the bed. He was arraigned Monday night on murder and burglary charges. 

Lee’s death comes nearly a month after Berkeley native, Michelle Go, was shoved to her death in front of an oncoming New York City subway train.

“During this time, for the Asian community, I’m urging everyone to be hypervigilant until things feel calmer and I don’t want to fearmonger you know? I don’t want people to live in a constant state of paranoia but I’d rather you be safe than sorry,” Liao said. 

Liao’s active in the mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai scene throughout the city. 

He began raising awareness and protesting the violence against the Asian community last year through his nonprofit, which provides free resources and self-defense lessons.

With news of Lee’s attack, Liao insists people have a game plan if they find themselves in dangerous situations. He says always trust your gut and be aware of your surroundings. 

“How to check behind your back if you’re being followed in a more subtle way, you can pretend your sneezing and look over your shoulder. You can stop and look into your bag like you’re looking for something and survey around you what people are doing. If you identify someone following you, you can see if their behavior changes when your behavior changes. If you stop and they stop then that’s a red flag,” Liao said. 

If businesses nearby are open, Liao recommends finding a safe place to rush into to call for help.