By Carol Tannenhauser
On Wednesday, February 8, at 3:35 p.m., an 83-year-old man was assaulted in the crosswalk on the northwest corner of West 61st Street and Broadway by a man who, randomly and without provocation, pushed him to the ground, causing a cut to the back of his head. He was treated at Mount Sinai West.
The perpetrator, described as in his 30s, 5’8″, 180 pounds, wearing blue jeans and a black jacket, fled on foot, south on Broadway.
The police are asking anyone with information about this incident to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
Unless the law takes the law seriously and with appropriate punishments, this will continue to happen, sad to say. I hope the man will heal promptly and not be afraid to be outside.
Unfortunate that this was random.
Unfortunate that it happened, random or not.
This is terrible! The UWS is being invaded by punks! Where is the “anti-crime” Mayor- the police-our local politicians???
Be gracious , please. The mayor has an awesome smile , wears fantastic suits and appears at the best the city has to offer in Nightlife.
Where exactly should they be? Patrolling every street and intersection? How do you prevent random acts like this?
Somewhere. The police should be somewhere in the neighborhood patrolling. Are they?
My sightings of cops on the street are rare–and I’m out several times a day on the UWS–and when I spot them, they are in groups of 3 or 4 just shooting the breeze or on their cell phones. Is there no management for the police force?
This is not true. You are describing the Transit police and I can’t speak for them but I see our precinct’s officers all the time patrolling, whether on foot or in their cars checking the neighborhood. I’ve got big windows with a view all day and they are there. Would love to have more but as some of the progressives shout “Defund the Police”, doesn’t look good to get an increase – which is what would help. That and BETTER LAWS by BETTER local politicians.
I am 77 years old, So afraid to leave my house now.
Here’s my take.
These people (sociopaths) tend to attack people that appear weak, that broadcast weakness, who are distracted and on their smartphones (which isn’t smart). I strongly suggest that when you leave your home, you appear to be present.
Scan the streets as you walk, not in a fearful manner but one silently broadcasting confidence.
Assess the other pedestrians, cars, busses and so on (there might be an inebriated or otherwise distracted person behind the wheel; that vehicle (should it be near you) may be about to leap the curb, causing damage; coolly assess the scene. If someone seems dangerous to you, cross the street. Try to keep to main avenues, keeping side streets to a minimum.
As a New Yorker, the public streets are your birthright. Take them, make them your own.
“appear to be present”. Sounds slightly like victim-shaming. When you reach the age of late 70s and on, just getting out of the house can be chore. Neighborhood streets in broad daylight should not be a battleground for anyone.
More than 50% of my monthly coop maintenance is city taxes. I want some return.
Excellent comment. That’s what I try to do as I walk around.
Hers my take: if you’re a senior or a woman, you’re a target. Good luck to all.
Lawrence, in this case the 83 year old man was on Broadway, a major avenue, in front or Target, a busy store with plenty of foot traffic. I don’t know this 83 year old but most do not broadcast strength. He did nothing wrong.
I’m not suggesting the victim did anything wrong; I wasn’t there.
I was responding to this comment: “I am 77 years old, So afraid to leave my house now”.
I was suggesting an optimal way to do exactly that.
“Self-warehousing”, to coin a phrase does neither society nor the author of that comment any good, rather it harms the interests and health of both.
This is not about victim-shaming. It’s about doing what you can to lessen the chance of being attacked in a random incident.
If the 77 year old poster follows Lawrence’s suggestions it might not be enough. The 83 year old victim did everything Lawrence suggested. The police need to make the neighnorhood safer for everyone.
The LAWS need to be strengthened as well. And people, including some local politicians should stop yelling “Defund the Police”.
I am often in this area and on Broadway up to 96th Street. Having lived here for many years I notice even after the Mayor’s attempts at placing more police in the subways, an absence of police everywhere I seem to be. It didn’t used to be this way. And I find it dramatically different and am very concerned about it.
The presence of police is a deterrent. These random acts of violence are like a disease that seem to be growing. But I know that police presence is a must. As is serious garbage removal. As is regulation of small electric vehicles which are unlicensed and obeying no traffic laws.
It just seems like a lack of initiative by our elected leaders and NYPD which leads to the Wild West mentality that has developed on the UWS.
The police do not walk the streets anymore. They are in their cars. The guy to speak to about this is Patrick Lynch, the head of the PBA.
And let’s remember the watchword at the station houses, from one police officer to the next: “Get home safe.”
How does this square with serving and protecting?
Totally true, no cops walking or driving around Upper West Side—it’s empty of blue
Really awful. I am afraid every time my elderly mother goes outside.
The link didn’t work when I clicked on it.
Here’s another one:
https://twitter.com/NYPDTips
Without police presence on the streets, cops end up as admins writing up police reports or Internet detectives matching video surveillance images to possible perps. There is no prophylactic policing anymore.
Its 2023. Why don’t we have better cameras?
This is horrible, I really feel for the elderly, they are targeted so much. I have elderly neighbors who are too scared to go outside. The 59th street Columbus Circle station has become dangerous, a couple of times I have seen people being harrassed, including myself.but the police there do nothing. I try to avoid that station now
I echo the call for more police presence on the streets, and not just whizzing by in patrol cars or in Westside Market, getting free coffee and sandwiches. Their presence would be a crucial deterrent in many of these situations.
Do you have evidence of Police officers getting free food and coffee from West Side Market, or some other place?
I am a fan of the Police, but almost every time I see them sitting in their cars or standing on the sidewalk, they are surfing their cell phones. Someone could be getting mugged across the street, and they would never know. This is unacceptable.