Norton Blake: NYC subway thug who beat 60-year-old woman with her own cane rants about 'judgment day' during arrest
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Norton Blake, the assailant who brutally beat an elderly woman with her own cane, launched into a deranged tirade about judgment day as he was led by police.
The shocking incident, captured on video, occurred five days ago when Blake viciously attacked Laurell Reynolds on a New York City subway.
Initially set free by police due to conflicting accounts, public outcry later led to his arrest. Blake, a career criminal with nine prior arrests, was detained by the NYPD's warrant squad and subsequently went on a disturbing rant during his perp walk.
As he was perp-walked through the Transit District 3 police precinct, Blake unleashed a frenzied rant saying, "Judgment is coming on the face of the Earth, World War III is upon us," according to Daily Mail.
He screamed and bared his teeth while addressing the media, hours after his arrest. The disturbing footage of the attack showed Blake repeatedly striking Reynolds with her own cane as she begged him to stop.
Norton Blake's bizarre rant
Law enforcement sources reported that Blake, a career criminal with a lengthy rap sheet, was taken into custody by the NYPD's warrant squad on Wednesday, around 6.30 am.
He was subsequently presented before the media in handcuffs, wearing a navy blue shirt and pants. Initially, he attempted to hide his face from the cameras but soon launched into an incoherent rant about the apocalypse.
During his furious tirade, not all of his words were discernible, but he did declare himself a lord. The perp walk continued outside to the streets of Manhattan, where he appeared to claim his innocence and likened his situation to fake news.
As he ducked into a police car, Blake added, "Use the spirit of the Lord, Judgment is coming on the face of the Earth, World War III is upon us!'" He repeated, "Judgment is coming upon the face of the Earth."
Horrifying attack on NYC subway
The brutal attack that landed Blake behind bars saw him relentlessly assaulting Reynolds with her own cane inside a Harlem subway station at around 3 am.
The victim initially used her cane to fend off the attacker, who tried to hit her with an umbrella. However, he managed to knock her to the ground, seize her cane, and subject her to a savage beating.
Blake allegedly struck her multiple times on her head, stomach, legs, arms, hands, and back until the cane broke from the force. Shockingly, there were no transit staff or police officers stationed at the subway to intervene.
Even after the cane broke, the attacker, appearing disheveled and possibly homeless, continued to scream at the pensioner. The video showed Reynolds curled up and motionless as the assailant delivered several more kicks to her body.
"I don't deserve that. Not at all, not at all … and I pray to God that it doesn't happen to no one else," said Reynolds. "They need to keep that man off the street."
When the footage of the attack went viral and sparked widespread outrage, a boroughwide search for the perpetrator was initiated. Blake was identified by police four days later, prompting questions about the delay as it emerged that he had been released initially, after providing police with a fake name and contradicting Reynolds' account.
The initial police report, which came in about half an hour after the attack, stated that the suspect had fled the scene to parts unknown. This oversight caused the officers on the scene to miss Blake's extensive criminal record. The handling of the suspect at the scene is currently under investigation.
The head of the NYC Transit Authority revealed that an MTA worker had filmed the clip and reported it to the city's Rail Control Center, who in turn called 911.
However, police initially let the suspect go. Reynolds, who uses a walker, expressed her outrage, stating that Blake should have been arrested. Her daughter, Lashanne Reese, learned of the assault from the circulating video and expressed her deep concern over how the situation was handled.
She felt that her mother's life had been in danger, and her frustration was evident.