An elderly woman who tried to get a group of youths to let her into her New York City apartment was later attacked by one of them, according to a published report.
The New York Post reported that the incident took place shortly before noon Monday when the 79-year-old woman, whose name was not used by the Post, returned to her apartment building after walking her dog.
She encountered a group of youths “play fighting,” she said.
“There were about four of them and a number of kids on the steps already,” she said. “I told them to leave.”
She made it inside, but then another building resident opened the lobby door, allowing a male and female to enter.
“I tried to get them to leave and the girl punched me in the head a number of times,” she said.
🚨WANTED for ASSAULT: on 1/6 at approximately 11:50am, this individual engaged in a verbal dispute with a 79-year-old female victim at 300 West 17 Street in Manhattan. She then proceeded to punch the victim multiple times in the head and face before fleeing westbound on W 17… pic.twitter.com/Dk9FnZ85YT
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 7, 2025
She said she was hit about “20 times” but “wasn’t counting.”
“The boy tried to get her to leave but she was not having it,” she said. “It just got too much. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
The woman said the problem with youths has been building for some time.
“We’ve been through hell with these kids,” she said.
The woman said her attacker had probably been a victim at some point.
“I think this is a child who herself has been punched in the head many times. I’ve never seen a child do that,” she said.
The woman said she ended up with a lump on her head.
The suspect was last seen wearing black clothing and red sneakers, according to AMNY.
Although the attacker in this case may have been young, much of New York City’s crime is fueled by repeat offenders.
Since 2018, recidivism in New York City — defined as three or more arrests in the same year for the same crime — has risen dramatically, according to the New York Post.
Recidivism among felony assault suspects rose 147 percent during that five-year period. For grand theft auto suspects, recidivism was up 119 percent, Other crimes also saw increases in recidivism, including a 71 percent rise by those charged with grand larceny, 64 percent for shoplifting and 61 percent for suspects arrested for burglary.
