STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Sunnyside man’s family is looking for witnesses and calling for a full investigation after they say their 62-year-old relative’s teeth were “knocked out” by a large group of individuals who assaulted him in his community in July.
A relative of the victim, who wished to remain anonymous because the individuals who attacked the man are still at large, is hoping someone can come forward to help provide a further account of the attack that happened just after 7:20 p.m. on Monday, July 15, on the 800th block of Howard Avenue.
“He’ll be going to the dentist and the doctors for the next several months,” said one of the man’s relatives. “His teeth were knocked out and he’s going to have to get replacement teeth.” The location in Sunnyside where the brutal attack took place.
(Google Maps) Google Maps According to the man’s family, good Samaritans stopped the attack to help the 62-year-old; chased off the attackers; and waited with the victim until an ambulance arrived. Added the relative: “His mouth is all messed up. He was blindsided and kicked all over his body.
He fell flat on his face, not expecting anybody to hit him.” The seemingly random attack has cost the 62-year-old approximately $5,000 in medical expenses, family members told the Advance/SILive.com.
The attack drew swift condemnation from Borough President Vito Fossella. “The most important thing that the government can do, the most important thing that we share on Staten Island, is that innocent people shouldn’t be abused [or] assaulted. We think that is the most important issue, protecting innocent people” Fossella told the Staten Island Advance/SILive.
com. “I saw a video of a pack of what appeared to be young people, who have gotten off a bus, walking up and down Clove Road for a few minutes. They antagonized and ultimately assaulted an individual who ended up in the hospital.
” The attack was confirmed by a spokesman for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. The individuals fled the location on foot, traveling westbound on Clove Road, said police. According to the NYPD spokesman, the victim was brought to Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, and family confirms he was released shortly after the attack.
“He was just minding his business on a beautiful summer night, walking down the street, he ended up surrounded by a pack of individuals,” said Fossella. “He ended up running across Clove Road— he could have gotten killed, hit by a car.” The borough president has high hopes the NYPD and the district attorney’s office will conduct a full investigation into the incident and bring these individuals to justice.
“The point is that it could have been anybody’s grandfather or grandmother just walking down the street minding their own business, and they’re assaulted, and that is just intolerable,” expressed Fossella. When reached for comment about the attack, a spokesperson for the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office told the Advance/SILive.com the office does not comment on the status of investigations.
Anyone with information can call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit tips at the Crime Stoppers Website or by texting tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577..
