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85-Year-Old Mugged, Choked in Elevator
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 19, 2008
Modified Aug 19, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 19, 2008
Modified Aug 19, 2008
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Police are looking for a man who robbed an 85-year-old in a brutal attack. The attack took place in a Crown Heights apartment building's elevator--the victim Lillian France was headed up to visit a relative and about to get out at the 5th floor when a man grabbed her, put her in a chokehold until she lost consciousness, and robbed her of $900--and her cane. Here's the disturbing video:
Police believe this could be the suspect's 10th attack (other attacks on elderly women have occurred in Kensington and Flatbush) and worry he may strike again. Police are asking people with information to call Crimestoppers at 800-577-TIPS; the suspect is described as a black male in his 20s or early 30s, between 5'8" and 6' tall. The Daily News spoke to France, who said, "I saw blackness, and I thought I was dead... I thought it was a dream. A terrible dream. I started to cry."
Last year, when a 101-year-old and an 85-year-old were attacked by a mugger, callers to Crimestoppers didn't have info on the suspect but they did have ideas on how to punish him, like "If I catch him, that [expletive], I'm going to mess him up" or having cops "make sure every [person] in prison knows what he did." The suspect was caught.
Tagged
assault
elderly woman
mugging
robbery
thug
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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