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Italian Tourist Dies After Being Slapped In The Bronx
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 24, 2014
Modified May 27, 2014
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By
Ben Yakas
Published May 24, 2014
Modified May 27, 2014
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An Italian tourist in NYC to visit his girlfriend was fatally punched outside a bodega in the Bronx on Friday. Police say that Oliver D’Orio, 37, was punched in the face around 12:10 a.m. yesterday in front of Guerrero Bodega on Washington Avenue and East 184th Street. He hit his head on the sidewalk and immediately lost consciousness; he was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses say that D'Orio was asking customers, including the suspect, at the bodega for alcohol when the incident happened: "[D'Orio] was pestering [the suspect], saying, 'Buy me a beer, buy me a beer,'" bodega clerk Julio Minier told the Post. "They came out onto the street and when the fight started he punched him with an open hand. The man went down. I knew he was dead when he hit the ground."
Other locals told the Post that D'Orio, who was reportedly drunk and carrying a banana that night, had been menacing people prior to the incident: "Last night he was yelling outside and banging outside the Phoenix House [rehab center]. He was yelling and banging on the door…holding a bottle of [booze] ten minutes before he was put down," said neighbor Luis Williams.
D'Orio, an Italian citizen who lives in Switzerland, had been in the city for 10 days; he was planning to fly home next Thursday. "That guy didn’t mean to kill him,” a witness named Frankie told the News. "They started fighting and he fell back and hit his head—and he didn’t get back up."
Anyone with information in regards is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
Tagged
death
italian
oliver d’orio
police
punch
the bronx
tourist
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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