Two staff members working in the lobby of a New York apartment building have been fired, after they were seen on camera closing the door as an Asian-American woman right outside was assaulted.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that the building's owners informed residents that the two staffers were fired via email.

According to the email, the staff members did not follow "required emergency and safety protocols".

However NYT said that a spokeswoman for the building did not specify what those protocols are.

On March 29, 65-year-old Vilma Kari, a Filipino-American, was assaulted outside the luxury apartment building by a man who kicked her to the ground and then kicked her three times in the head.

He also allegedly said, "F**k you, you don't belong here."

On the video, one of the lobby staff members can be seen closing the door after the assault, while Kari was still lying on the ground.

NYT said the person who closed the door, along with another person visible in the video, were the ones who were fired.

The staffers did help the woman

However, a longer video obtained by NYT appears to shed more light on the incident.

It suggested that the two staff members did not witness the assault first-hand, but were alerted to it by a deliveryman who was in the lobby.

About a minute after the door was closed, the two staffers left the building and appeared to go to Kari's aid.

The email sent to the residents added that they flagged down a police car.

The president of the union representing the staff members said they had a right to challenge their firings.

He emphasised that they did help Kari, and while the union is against systemic racism, it also feels that workers have a right to a fair process as outlined in their contract.

Suspect arrested

The suspect in the assault, 38-year-old Brandon Elliot, was arrested shortly after the report was made.

The NYPD Hate Crimes task force launched an investigation and informed the public that Elliot was charged with Felony Assault as a Hate Crime.

Elliot is on lifetime parole, having been released from prison in 2019. He was previously convicted of murdering his mother in 2002.

Top image from CeFaan Kim's Twitter page.