Brooklyn postal worker, 57, left with broken facial bones after 2 men on dirt bikes batter him
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: An elderly postal worker was brutally beaten up for no apparent reason and is now recovering after suffering several broken bones in his face. Surveillance footage that captured the incident shows the horrific details of this violent altercation.
As per cops, the assault took place around 6 pm on Monday, June 28, in Greenpoint, a historically Polish-American working-class area that has more recently seen gentrification. Police said that the 57-year-old US Postal Service mail carrier was assaulted by at least two men on dirt bikes and they remain at large. Cops also said that it was not clear what prompted the assault, or if the victim and suspects knew each other or had a previous interaction.
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Surveillance footage showed the man pushing his cart near McGuinness Boulevard and Nassau Avenue when a man riding a bike illegally on a sidewalk pulled up behind him. The mail carrier could be seen swiping at him with his keys. Subsequently, the person on the dirt bike retaliates. The two could be seen taking swipes at each other before things turned more violent.
A second person, wearing almost identical clothing (silver helmets and white shirts) as the first, joined in and punched the mail carrier several times. They also kicked him. Two bystanders stepped in to stop the assault. One of them could be seen on video grabbing one of the suspects and pulling him back. Another man also appeared to run in to try and help. The suspects then fled south on McGuinness Boulevard on their bikes, as per law enforcement authorities.
Police said the victim suffered multiple broken facial bones in his face and is being treated at Woodhull Hospital. The mail carrier’s next-door neighbor reportedly spoke to the man’s family who told him they’re tired of the city and were heading for Florida. “‘We’re leaving New York for good.’ They’re not gonna come back,” Jose Machado said.
One business owner in the area said that he saw a group of several men on dirt bikes riding around Greenpoint “aggressively,” right before the assault happened. “I think that was terrible, that was uncalled for. I’m surprised. I’m shocked, because he don’t … he does his route, comes home,” neighbor Robert Laurie said.
“They should not have attacked him. I don’t know what could’ve prompted it. He didn’t have to go to that point,” resident Rod Lee said. “Good to see somebody help. All you can do is defend yourself,” Lee added. “I’d like to think if I saw that I would be a hero and try to save the day, but it’s hard to even know because in real-time sometimes people react differently. That’s terrible, terrible,” another man said.
CBS News also reported that some Greenpoint residents said they were less and less surprised by crime, and felt the city was headed in the wrong direction. “Now, crazy things happen,” one told the news outlet. “The police don’t do nothing, don’t do nothing, nothing, nothing,” another said. A third person said, “Well, you need more police to stop the crime.”
Reportedly, assaulting a federal employee has serious consequences -- one faces a potential Class A misdemeanor that can result in a prison sentence of more than six months, but less than a year; and a maximum fine of up to $100,000. One could also be charged with a Class D Felony that would result in a prison sentence of more than five years, but less than ten years; and a maximum fine of up to $250,000.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the assailants is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.