Police: Suspects Punch 3 People In Face In Series Of Unprovoked Attacks In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are asking for help finding several individuals suspected in a trio of attacks in Sheepshead Bay.
Police said the victims of the three assaults are over 60 years old, but the attacks appeared to be random, CBS2's Kiran Dhillon reported Friday.
Disturbing surveillance video shows an 81-year-old man biking down the street Tuesday. He's approached by a suspect near East 27th Street and Avenue X and the suspect appears to deck him.
A second video, taken moments later, shows a group of young men walking on the sidewalk near Avenue U and East 29th Street. A 64-year-old man walks by and the group, unprovoked, appears to punch him in the face.
In another incident a few hours later in front of 2959 Avenue Y, police said a 76-year-old woman was approached by a stranger who attempted to speak with her before punching her in the face and running away.
"When I saw that video, I was really hurt," said Michael Jaffa, who owns Kosher Palace, a business near the scene of one of the attacks. "It is troubling."
Jaffa believes one of the victims is a customer at his store.
"I have grandparents. I have a grandmother and it really, it hurt because, as human beings, that's not what we're taught," he said.
Police say the same three male suspects are behind the attacks.
"It feels crazy. Like, a crazy world that we live in that, people feel they can't control their anger or the emotions," said one woman.
Many neighbors now say they'll watch their backs until the suspects are caught.
"Someone should feel safe in their own neighborhood and these are helpless people. Not helpless, but innocent victims," the woman said.
Police said the three victims sustained bruises to the face, but are expected to recover.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782. Tips can also be sent to the NYPDTips Twitter account or submitted online at NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.
CBS2's Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report.