By Daniel Katzive
A 52-year old woman suffered minor injuries in an unprovoked attack on Columbus Avenue Thursday night, according to the NYPD and an acquaintance of the victim.
At about 8:50 p.m., the victim was walking on Columbus Avenue in front of Pizzeria Uno south of 81st Street when an unknown man punched her in the mouth, knocking her down. No words were exchanged and no property was taken. The assailant fled north on Columbus and remains at large.
The victim was able to walk to the nearby 20th Precinct where she reported the attack and was treated by EMTs. She declined to go to the hospital.
An acquaintance told WSR that her face was swollen and red and she had a large lump on the back of her head where she hit the sidewalk.
According to the NYPD, the assailant was described as tall, around 5’11”, in his 30s, with a dark complexion, wearing a black shirt.
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This guy belongs in jail, not released to the streets again with a court date off in the future.
There should be severe punishment for this behavior. it is not OK.
I’m surprised we haven’t yet gotten the comments about how it is clearly an issue of him not having a job, a home, or an overly zealous progressive virtue-signaler baking him cookies with his name on them. There is zero excuse for this. I don’t care how bad your life is. You do not punch random strangers. Or anyone. Those who do these things do not belong among us.
You know, when you can’t think of any reason to be concerned about people without jobs or homes except “virtue-signaling” (whatever that’s even supposed to mean), you say a lot more about yourself than you do about the people you think you’re sneering at.
An adult who would do something like this out of the blue to a stranger as described is probably indeed quite mentally ill. Far better to make sure this man had received care in the first place than to have an injured, scared victim and have to spend infinitely more on warehousing him in an unsafe situation on Riker’s. That’s practical talk, if you have no compassion in your heart to draw on.
compassion goes to the victim
Maybe he just enjoys beating up women and is not interested in receiving “care” for it. Why shouldn’t he if there are no consequences?
Sarah, why is it that this man you described as “mentally ill” never pick on a 6 foot guy to clobber in the head?
Why do they always sucker punch –
Women
The elderly
Asian women
Religious observing Jews
My question is how mentally ill are you if you can choose someone who won’t punch you back?
It doesn’t feel random to me.
And yes, I have been suckered punched.
I will tell you exactly why. Criminals or really predators of any kind always look for the soft target. Your not going to pick some guy who’s 6’5″ completely ripped and wearing a t-shirt that says Krav Maga, Instructor. There is no group you name that is renowned for its fighting prowess. You might say Asian women and there may be some exceptions, but I knew a 95 pound female black belt when I was young and she was very clear that she could not beat me in a fight. I was 6’2″ 225 and in good shape (ah, youth).
Mentally ill does not mean without mental capacity. There are geniuses that are depressed and there are people with anti-social personality disorder that are sly as as fox. So yes, the mentally ill can pick an easy target.
I’m sorry to hear that too.
Exactly!!
Exactly they are never actually random are they.
They prey on those they know are weaker then them. Pure cowardice.
What exactly do you think the point of this behavior is? Do you think the guy woke up that morning and thought, “What I really want to do is punch some random woman in the face, that will make me feel great and advance my life goals?” A robbery, a rape–you can call that preying if you must, the person is at least taking something from the victim. This guy gets zero benefit from the behavior. He’s lashing out randomly at something only he can see.
Life is a lot less awful if you resist the urge to think of other people as animals.
Sarah,
At this point no way to know the situation….sure could have been someone with a mental illness or not, could have been a gang-initiation, etc.
Recall a tragic incident in 2022 – an 87 yearold woman was shoved on the sidewalk and several days later died of her injuries. A 26 year old woman from Long Island was charged.
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/police-arrest-lauren-pazienza-26-in-fatal-shoving-of-87-year-old-barbara-gustern/
Why would you think that the perpetrator gets nothing out of the attack? He gets his urge satisfied. Plus you are speculating that he is lashing out in something only he can see. We don’t know anything about him, but we see this behavior from both mentally ill and healthy individuals. Regardless of his mental health; he shouldn’t be on the streets.
“ Life is a lot less awful if you resist the urge to think of other people as animals.”
It is wrong to think of ALL people as animals. It is also wrong to preach that NONE of them are.
Sarah – has it ever happened to you? You might be surprised by the unexpected and long term damage that such attacks can cause. I was shoved by a homeless person this week (not in NYC) and almost knocked down, which would likely have resulted in significant injury since I am older and osteoporotic. I have not been able to return alone to the place where it occurred for fear of encountering that man again. The fear may be irrational but it is real. Whatever his rights, do I not have the right to feel safe?
Sarah- he did take something from this woman- victim. Her sense of freedom in believing she was safe walking up Columbus ave. Don’t think for minute that is hasn’t shaken her to her core.
Ok. Sure. We’ll bite. Can you breathe out the words “forced institutionalization “ then – or is that practical talk too much for you?
Sorry not to fit the stereotype you’re arguing with in your head. I do think some people need involuntary care, and that the present standard needs to be better calibrated to capture the issue of noncompliance with psychiatric meds for people who don’t have insight into their condition and so won’t continue treatment once realized. I also believe we need to face the fact that such institutions turn into hell-pits if not well-funded and well-monitored. You wouldn’t want your worst enemy in a place like Willowbrook.
It breaks my heart to see so many UWSers in comfortable circumstances clutching fearfully at what they have and frantically wishing away anyone they perceive as a threat to it. What a way to spend your later years–sour, terrified, curdling internally.
I don’t think this is a case of a man with mental illness. It seems clear that he is a person exhibiting anti-social personality disorder. It is not treatable. Criminal behavior needs to be addressed through the criminal justice system. He is lacking in empathy, and I would not waste my time empathizing with him either. With little consequences for antisocial and criminal behavior it is not possible to maintain any civility whatsoever.
Wow! Throwing a blanket statement on your neighbors and putting all of them down! Quite a comment!
“ It breaks my heart to see so many UWSers in comfortable circumstances clutching fearfully at what they have and frantically wishing away anyone they perceive as a threat to it. What a way to spend your later years–sour, terrified, curdling internally.”
The last paragraph of Sarah’s comment is very disturbing. She assumes that all UWSers are wealthy, and not just that, they are greedy “clutching” onto their stuff. Apparently they should donate it.
She also assumes that they wishing everyone away who they perceive as a treat. Perceive. The mere and well-documented fact that residents are attacked is lost on her, it is still pure perception.
And the last one – why later years? Some of us are not there yet. And why fear of being attacked is described as unreasonable and paranoid in a very contempt manner?
Unfortunately, these opinions created the very degradation of our neighborhood.
You make a lot of assumptions and it sounds like you may have a bias issue that you should check? The perp has mental illness? You know that how? Because he behaved in an anti social manner? What if a person who you know for sure to be wealthy and lives surrounded with comforts did that? Can we cut to the mental illness excuse? You also don’t know the economic situation of those posting. All your neighbors. How do you know the it financial situation? But you assume the worst about them? I read your last sentence and put it back to you upon which to reflect. A sad way to live when you equate a desire for personal safety a right that only people with comforts should have.. Please check your own biases and your prejudice against your neighbors.
Hi Sarah,
I have lived on the West Side my whole life.
Perhaps you moved here recently (?) but please note there are still many non-rich residents here, many not in “comfortable circumstances”.
BTW as a teenager and in my 20s, I was randomly hit/sucker-punched/shoved three times – in one instance by a woman.
I won’t g into other crime incidents here but please note – people of all ages are victimized by crime.
Sarah, I agree. And an individual like this needs to be taken to a facility for psychiatric observation. And if agreed by psychiatrists to be a likely danger to himself and others, this individual needs to be kept at a psychiatric facility until judged that it is safe to release him. I believe that the safety of the community outweighs the freedom of a mentally ill person who needs care and treatment.
Strongly agree. Mentally ill homeless persons who are a danger to themselves and other people should be given permanent affordable housing in a state-run facility, along with medical care, pharmaceuticals, proper nutrition, counseling and therapy.
Such a benefits package should also come with the stipulation that it be provided OUTSIDE of New York City, in an AECF (access/egress-controlled facility) where the recipients are unable to threaten and harm innocent members of the public.
Financing should come via a retroactive tax and clawback penalty on all organizations, providers, vendors, and individuals who received payment from taxpayer-financed city contracts.
Defund the charlatans, quacks, frauds and leaches who are destroying our city and neighborhoods.
Sarah, we know nothong about this person. Just like we don’t know if he is homeless we also don’t know if he has received mental health care in the past. Often people are OK when on the proper medication but they can stop taking the medication at amy time.
I agree. We should have much better mental health care. And police, working in tandem with social workers (not unilaterally) should have discretion to take the many people who very clearly are not mentally capable off the streets and put them in a place where they can receive help and not do harm to others or themselves.
Unfortunately, there are too many people who feel this violates the rights of the mentally ill, when, as you correctly said, it is actually helping them.
And based on my experience, there is a lot of overlap between those who don’t want to do this for the mentally ill and those who think there should be minimal or no punishment for committing these types of crimes.
don’t hold your breath
Hopefully CC TV
Another older woman. Hate crimes.
Gahh! Older? Yikes….
Older!! 52 😭😭
52 is not an OLDER woman!
50 is minimum age to be a member of AARP!
Hopefully he’s caught on camera somewhere on Columbus Avenue and someone recognizes him and they catch him and send him away for a long time. What a cowardly act. Now this innocent woman has to deal with the physical and psychological fallout from this vicious attack.
In 40 years of living on NYC I’ve never seen so many disturbed, potentially dangerous people wandering the streets. In fact I’ve never seen so many people living, or simply lying on the streets period. Don’t know the answer but it’s getting worse every day.
It’s like this in many places across America. My mind reels. Maybe a place to start is going back to “forced” (or call it by some euphemism) institutionalization. Releasing the mentally ill “to the community” is a disaster when a tendency to violence is part of the mentally ill person’s makeup.
Sad.my grama walks with her mace and a rock in a sock
Not gonna work.
I thought using mace was illegal in n.y. Even if she does use it to protect herself?
Mt condolences to the victim.
It is heartbreaking what is happening lately in our formerly safe neighborhood.
In other news, crime stats continue their downward trend, except for the increasing number of unfortunate individuals on the receiving end of some stranger’s fist.
the victims race should also be given so we can assess the dangers better. The victim should be asked if it was racially motivated. hope she recovers and isn’t permanently traumatized .. carry pepper spray folks
Pepper spray? How the heck would you pepper spray someone who left you sprawled on the sidewalk writhing in pain? He’s gone and you have a broken jaw. You cannot pepper spray someone until after they assault you and you won’t be in the mood, trust me. You will also have the spray come back into your own face if there is wind. Plus, it can be wrestled away from you and then used against you or on someone else.
How is the victim going to know if it was racially motivated if no words were exchanged and she had no other interaction with the guy? Should we also ask the victim if the attack was the result of the man having mother issues?
This is horrible. Every day there is another incident. People just walking down the street minding their own busjness aren’t safe!! I’m afraid to go out. Crime is worse than ever since Adams took office!!
Just happy that crime is down all over NYC, or else WSR would need to hire a full time reporter just to cover these instances. As it is, it seems like there’s atleast one article a day…imagine if crime wasn’t under control like all the “data” numbers show…
Here’s what I don’t seem to understand. The term “dark complexion,” really doesn’t serve the public well when it comes to identifying or being “on guard,”for a would be assailant. Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, etc., etc., come in all different shades. So which is it – a dark complexioned White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc., perp? Wouldn’t that be more helpful.
It happened at 8:50pm (so would be dark out) and was a brief encounter… why are you assuming this is a purposeful omission of the attacker’s race and not just the best description available? Have you ever been involved in something traumatic and tried to give a description of another person? It’s not always as easy as you’d think or hope it would be. Hopefully police can obtain videos to help track him down.
I truly feel for the victim and hope she recovers as much as possible, both physically and mentally.
Let’s not be disingenuous, it means black or maybe Latino. No white person will ever be described as dark-complexioned.
I respectfully beg to differ. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2017/08/dark-skinned-whites-arrested-more-those-lighter-skin
It’s pretty obvious why the reluctance to use racial designation. Dark complexion is political correct term which avoids racial term while at the same time clearly indicates probable race
Yes it would be helpful in identifying the person.
I agree. The deliberate omission of a suspect’s race/skin color is ridiculous. They are criminals, wanted for hurting, killing, raping or stealing from another citizen. Describe them in complete detail. Yes, that includes the color of their skin. “male, early twenties, wearing a baseball cap” really doesn’t narrow things down much..
This is outrageous! Agreed, this guy needs to be in jail or a facility for mental illness or drugs. And near the museum! Surely there is video!
Thank you for informing the community. The victim is my good friend. Physically, she will heal. I hope she heals from the trauma of being punched in the face and knocked to the concrete while just walking in the evening on a crowded street, while minding her own business. Is assault still a crime?
I hope your friend recovers quickly. An attack like that should not happen to anyone.
I feel terrible for your friend and the trauma she’s suffered. Please encourage her to go to the hospital for follow-up. Even if treatment by EMT’s was adequate and she physically feels okay, hitting a head on the sidewalk can be serious business.
Were there others around and did she and others get a good description of the perp?
Yes. Passersby were able to video tape him walking swiftly away. His face is not in the video but the local stores must have him on surveillance. I hope the police pursue.
The police have been pretty good about finding and arresting these perpetrators.
And the courts swiftly releasing them back on the streets.
So terribly sorry for your friend. Unfortunately, nothing is a crime anymore.
Every person who commits any act of violence should be remanded. Period.
This is so scary. I’m used to being wary of muggers and keeping my stuff out of sight but how are we supposed to navigate the violent crazies on our streets? The sidewalks are too narrow & crowded to steer a wide berth around everyone I pass. Just yesterday afternoon I passed someone who seemed not quite right at 79th/Bwy but there was nowhere to move to so I passed him way too close for comfort. And maybe I’m paranoid but I think he might be the same guy. I used to consider the UWS safe but sadly no longer.
My condolences to the victim.
It is heartbreaking what is happening lately in our formerly safe neighborhood.
Serious question: what is the punishment for something like this if the perpetrator ever gets caught?
Nothing at all. No punishment. The criminals are now in control.
I wish WSR moderators didn’t publish comments like this one. I don’t see how a comment like this adds value to an intelligent conversation.
Jerry, none of us actually know anymore what the laws say. The punishments for crimes have changed, and I wish the WSR would write an article on what punishment for crimes used to be 10 years ago, and what they are now.
I disagree on two levels. First, I happen to agree with Janet’s perspective. It’s a known fact that bail reform makes it nearly impossible for the police to hold suspects for more than a couple of hours, and then they are back out on the street and repeating the same or similar crimes. Walgreens wasn’t locking things up behind plexiglass before bail reform. The recidivism is off the rails; it is a statistical fact you can research. Secondly, just because someone else’s comment makes you uncomfortable doesn’t mean that you should wish to stifle their speech. Free speech allows others to things we may not agree with or even find offensive. If all speech was pleasant there would be no need for a First Amendment. Intelligent people are naturally curious and are not threatened by ideas. Hopefully that clarifies. You also can choose not to read others’ comments.
You don’t think the truth adds value? Feel free to explain to us what will happen to him, since you know so much better.
Why? It’s an accurate reply. He will face no real punishment like prison.
What is going on here???? It’s getting crazy out there!
We so need new representation in this neighborhood. Our officials are failing us.
Oh no! Why has this stuff been happening so much more over the past 3 years?!
“Dark complexion???”
Why not be more vague? How ridiculous! Was the assailant brown or black? It’s quite simple. Or maybe there’s no desire to prosecute and hold criminals accountable. Just more politically correct BS.
Can you tell the difference between a dark skinned Dominican, a dark skinned Cuban, or an African American?
I think from now on, before a criminal commits a crime, they should be required to fill out a demographic form so that the NYPD can accurately cite their race and ethnicity for you.
This is very upsetting. Infuriating. I feel angry and helpless. When do we come to our senses and stop encouraging this mess by voting out those who created it?
We have criminals getting a slap on the wrist and being released into general public next day assaulting people.
We have seriously mentally ill, again released and roaming free in general public assaulting people.
We have migrants who used the legal loophole to get into the country for whom we are providing billions of dollars in housing, food and health care. Instead of providing the very same health care for mentally ill. These “asylum seekers” are currently having a block party right on Broadway and 70s, in dozens, loitering on a small counter in big numbers, blasting their radios, revving their scooters just for the heck of it, smoking pot and cigarettes despite people waiting for a bus.
But I forget, we are supposed to vote for “compassion”. Just not for the law-abiding legal citizens.
Sincerely,
Gigo, first generation immigrant.
Were the “asylum seekers” wearing name tags or some other form of identification so you know they were actually asylum seekers and not just a Latino resident of New York City?
1. Yes, most of them wear ids around their necks
2 it is the same group from Stratford Arms, very well known to all the residents and doormen of the nearby buildings. On semi-related note it was supposed to be a family shelter. So far I have seen 2 kids. The rest are single males in their early 20s, constantly loitering bored out of their minds.
how is this not a hate crime?
The number of clearly unstable people on the streets is alarming. Same with the number of homeless encampments and open drug dens. It is out of control. It is dangerous, especially at night. I’m tired of people saying it’s not as bad as the 80s or that the crime stats don’t show the problem (that’s because many of these instances aren’t reported or filed). Seriously. Enough is enough.
So cant go for a walk anymore whitout getting robbed, punched, raped . Time to go in the streets and demand real action from the authorities
How about you can’t go into the streets or on the sidewalks without getting hit or almost hit by an e-bike, or a moped often called an e-scooter going through red lights, going the wrong way down a street at 25 mph or riding on the sidewalks! Totally unregulated! Frankly I’m more afraid of that than I am of getting punched or mugged. Why are the police not stopping this mayhem?? How does City Hall get away with this?
Five people beat up a 60 year old man. Looks like a hate crime, and the two that they caught, NO BAIL
If you think this is wrong, speak up. Politely and respectfully call your elected officials most importantly, the state assembly leader, and the governor.
Imagine if thousands of people called every day! That’s how things change. Unfortunately, while we can vent our frustrations here, it’s not going to do anything.
https://nypost.com/2023/07/28/horrible-system-cabbie-beaten-on-nyc-street-outraged-suspects-were-let-go-with-slap-on-the-wrist/
The label “mentally ill” is used to make us feel sympathy for the offender. “It’s not their fault, they’re mentally ill. They need all the help a caring society can provide”. In the real world, the streets are filled with violent, evil sociopaths that are allowed to live freely among normal, peaceful citizens just trying to live their lives. How many victims are we willing to sacrifice before the government separates these criminals from the rest of us?
These men know exactly what they’re doing and they know, because of the current state of political correctness and lax penalties, that they can get away with it. As a woman living on the UWS, I’m scared and truly fed up with this. Why aren’t we marching for women’s lives!!!
Maybe the definition of felony assault needs to be broadened.
It may be that the attacker in this case is mentally ill. Not all who commit assault are mentally ill, though. Some seem to do it on a dare or as part of some other crime or agenda, having made a “rational” conscious choice.
it so happens that on this Thursday night, I saw a man and woman sitting on a park bench on 81st street between CPW and Columbus (under the beautiful plane trees of Roosevelt Park) smoking crack and screaming at each other. westsiders need to wake up to the Californification of our neighborhood.
Vote, vote, vote. This time with your head, not your heart. Compassion is admirable. Safety is necessary.
Picking up on a comment made by Eric: on the thesis that language is a powerful shaper of how we make (snap?) judgments about reality, should there be a term to replace “mentally ill” in at least some cases? Maybe there is such a term already. To call the man who sucker punched the woman “mentally ill” subtly slips in the assumption that he is the one suffering, that he is perhaps the real victim here, that his action lacks the degree of rational choice required to bump it up over the threshold of “responsible.”
As others have pointed out, such aggressors are rational enough to pick their victims and the occasions. And to plan a getaway.
I don’t know what term is better. But I think “mentally ill” might be a feature of language that needs revision.
What about E.D.P.? Emotionally Disturbed Person. I had the impression that was a less judgemental descriptor.
What a great comment. I’d like to add that these criminals also impugn the mentally ill, the vast majority of whom are not criminals.
Why call the man mentally ill when there is ZERO evidence of it? The reason is to divert people’s attention away from the real possibility that this is just one of many hates crimes that take place weekly in this city. Everytime something happens, there is a chorus of people here mentioning the mentally ill. Another example of the mindset which refuses to tell people “you are responsible for your life and actions”. Mentally illl people do not go around sucker punching people. Mentally ill people actually rarely commit violence at all! What we have here, very likely, are hate crimes. Imagine if you were Asian? You see your people getting savagely beaten all the time on the news and there’s not a single article in the media about it!! But if it wasn’t Asians who were getting beaten, and instead another group (jewish, black, gay) it would be on the media non-stop. What is going on here?
There are many sucker punches of Hasidic men in Brooklyn by gangs of men.
Yes, you’ll see four or five men hit One Jewish man for the sole reason that they are Jewish. Very little news about it.
I agree with you 100%. Hate crimes.
Thank you for saying this. When a white person harms a non white person the excuse is never mental illness. Sadly another example of politicians a d Lobbyists using human tragedy and suffering to advocate for their cause. Which in this case is free mental health care for anyone who wants it. Note, wants. Because as we keep seeing, we also have vibrant Legal Aid agencies who advocate with vigor that a person can not be forced to accept mental health care. So, here is our woke conundrum. Is the intent to solve the issue we are in OR exploit human suffering for political and profit gain? And lastly who among us can raise their ha d and say they do not have some level of mental illness? Does that mean nobody is accountable for anything? It is a clever move on the part of the marketers. But be smarter. Problems that are impossible to solve are usually designed that way!
Laws being flouted all over, about a range of crimes we all know. Adams was supposed to be a “law and protect the public” mayor. He seems more of a “protect his donors” mayor. Bragg seems to want to run a social service agency more than do his job as DA. We have to replace these people.
Cops being on a slowdown doesn’t help matters either. When was the last time you saw a foot patrol? It’s been years for most UWS residents. When you see cop SUVs driving around, the passenger cop always has their face buried in a cellphone. We need police to be a presence in their neighborhoods, not just a phantom force that parks their too many empty vehicles illegally.