By Jessica Easthope and Alexandra Moyen
Violence continued to stalk the streets of New York City last weekend, with two incidents happening two days apart.
A man riding a Citi Bike was caught on camera assaulting and robbing a 68-year-old man Saturday morning.
The victim was repeatedly punched and kicked, before the suspect rode off with his cellphone and jewelry. He was hospitalized for treatment of a broken nose and broken wrist.
The night before, on Friday, an off-duty firefighter said he was swarmed and attacked by at least “100 kids” while walking his dog in Juniper Valley Park in Queens.
The Police Department has released images of three teenagers suspected of participating in the vicious attack, and are asking anyone with any information to step forward.
So far, no suspects have been identified or arrested.
According to NYPD officials, the anonymous 44-year-old victim, who was not identified, approached the group, concerned about the noise they were making. The conversation then escalated in a “physical encounter with multiple individuals kicking and punching the victim about the body, before he was able to flee the scene.”
Before the attack concluded, the firefighter told authorities, he was hit on the back of the head with a bottle, causing him to let go of his dog. The dog was eventually moved away from the mob by a good Samaritan. The beating stopped and the victim was able to escape his attackers once an ambulance showed up to the scene.
He sustained bruising and cuts from the attack — which one of the attackers reportedly called “fight night,” — but refused medical attention.
According to the NYPD, the overall crime index in New York City rose 22% May 2021 compared to May 2020, and in June 2021, the overall crime index in the city rose 3.1% compared to June 2020. There are currently no city crime statistics for July 2021, but New Yorkers say they are already seeing an uptick in crime.