Mugger Attacks 101-Yr-Old Woman

85-Year-Old With Walker Also Assaulted; Suspect Claimed To Be Helpful

(CBS/AP)  A New York City mugger attacked a 101-year-old woman, punched her in the face and knocked her over before making off with her handbag, according to police and a security-camera video.

Shortly afterward, the same suspect victimized an 85-year-old woman, also using a walker, police said Friday as they pressed the public for tips that could identify him.

The attacks took place in separate buildings in the Jamaica section of Queens last Sunday.

The suspect, a black male in his 30s, is wanted in a string of neighborhood robberies.

Rose Morat, 101 years old, was assaulted in her apartment building's lobby around 12:30 p.m. The suspect, who pulled a ski mask down over his face, was seen in security-camera footage opening the door for Morat before throwing a flurry of punches at her as she steadies herself against her walker.

"I was not unconscious, but I was startled, and I thought: What happened?" said Morat.

The suspect appeared to spit on his victim as he made off with her pocketbook.

About a half-hour later, 85-year-old Solange Elizee was assaulted outside her apartment a half-mile from Morat's. Police said the suspect followed her on an elevator and got out on a different floor from hers, but then ran up the stairs and confronted her at her apartment door.

Elizee said he had asked her in the elevator what floor she was headed to, explaining, "I like to help old people."

But as she went to close her door, he threatened her, Elizee said. She said the suspect also beat her in the face and pushed her down. "I got blood coming out of my mouth," she said.

Her handbag was taken, police said.

Morat was battered and bruised but unfazed. As she told WCBS correspondent Dave Carlin, "God doesn't want me up there, he wants me down here."

Both women said they would have just given the man money if he'd just asked them; instead they were both hospitalized.

The mugger's take? $33 from Morat, $45 from Elizee, along with her wedding ring.

"I feel sorry for him that he has to stoop so low to get money," Morat said. "The man must be a sick man."

"I could ask him if he has a mother, a grandmother, too," Elizee said. "You know something? I am praying for him."

The suspect was riding a reddish-pink bicycle and wearing a winter jacket with a fur collar around the hood at the time of the attacks.

Anyone with information on either of these cases is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS.

[gramto7]

The ladies are more forgiving than this grandmother would be by a long shot! That jerk needs to go to jail and be roughed up every day like he did to them!

[rohink-2009]

I don't feel sorry for him. How could you beat up an elderly person. It's not like they were putting up a fight and needed to be over-powered. Some people are just bad. He's one of them.

[newton221]

This loser is in for a rude awakening. He spit on an old lady after beating and robbing her. Shes praying for him and he spit on her. I take comfort in knowing its a long shot that this scumbag will survive his prison sentence.

[gunownerdan]

Criminals love easy victims.
Self Defense: A-HUMAN-RIGHT.com

[klingon69]

When they catch this scumbag, they need to hang him from the highest tower. So all can see what should happen when someone attacks the elderly

[jbinthe757]

I thought pat Robertson was a bad guy for stealing the pennies from a dead womans eyes, this piece of *** should die...NOW!

[bossmare2]

There are no words to describe that "adam/henry". I can't comprehend anyone attacking an elderly woman. When he is caught, and he will be, I hope they put him in a cell block full of men convicted of heinous crimes who will beat the *** out of him, over and over again!!! That creep deserves to die a horrible death. I pray the elderly lady is alright. My heart goes out to her and the other elderly women he preyed upon.

[rharrin1]

Only a right wing conservative would do something like this.

[beehive21-2009]

That's New York City,wonderful place.

[arohanui-2009]

I wonder and shake my head at the depths of human immorality at times. A woman makes it to 101 to treated like that? The rider of the pink bike is worse pond scum. He is a waste of oxygen.

[olebd]

I'll bet everything he's addicted to crack or meth and was high when he did it.

[reel-crazy]

Mankind can only hope that once this pathetic vermin is locked up amongst his peers, that they will take justice into their own hands on a daily basis. I suspect even the majority of the hardest of criminals respect a grandmother figure. Death is too good for this lowlife.....

[gwlafayette]

HATE CRIME, the attacker doesnt look white

[gwlafayette]

old french-american women getting attacked by the kind of scum that burns paris then claims to be a victim of racism

[l8c6]

TBN must be having trouble getting funds through their traditional television network.

[mdc76082]

Pathetic. This loser should get 186 yrs. (101 + 85) in prison for this crime. No wait. I would praise NY's finest if they'd take this pathetic piece of s**t out back behind the police station and put a bullet in his fking head. This guy is a waste of times, air & space. If he wants to make ammends to the ladies and to America, he should shoot himself right now, on TV!

[mikekleber]

Why doesn't Bush send the extra 4200 troops to New York instead of the Middle East. Maybe OUR citizens would be safer.

[trueprogress]

This is the most disgusting person on earth.

[agnim]

That is one old lady with tough meat and a strong jaw.
It took three blows from a drug addict to knock her down. LOL

Life lesson?

Treat and teach the children; or be prepared to die young, less the children grow up to come back and haunt you in your old age!

[agnim]

That is one old lady with tough meat and a strong jaw.
It took three blows from a drug addict to knock her down. LOL

Life lesson?

Treat and teach the children well.
Or be prepared to die young, less the children grow up to come back and haunt you in your old age!

[bobbymetal]

If the woman had been a 101 year old black woman and the attacker a white male, all hell would have broken loose compliments of th liberal media. This would be the lead story every night for a month. Every black rhyming reverend in the nation would be in front of the cameras demanding an end to white racism. The real problem is "black crime" and the refusal of society to do anything about it. Black males (7% of the population) commit 60% of the violent rapes, robberies and murders in this country and anybody that dares to point that out is immediately branded a racist.