7 Online
December 31, 2014
William King has lived in his Bronx neighborhood for 40 years, and since 1974 he has felt safe – that is until Saturday afternoon when he was brutally beaten in broad daylight. The vicious encounter was caught on home surveillance camera.
“I got a cut above over my eyelid, and the side of my face is numb – I can’t open my mouth that well and I had a lump the size of a baseball on the side of my head,” says King.
The incident happened near the corner of Briggs Avenue and East 197th Street in Bedford Park – not in the wee hours of the morning, but at 2 in the afternoon on a beautiful, bright and busy day.
One man pounded the 67-year-old, while another acted as a lookout – both were left empty-handed.
“I believe it was a racial attack – they weren’t trying to rob me, I had money on me and my wallet and all. They weren’t trying to rob me,” adds King.
King works as a facility maintenance clerk for a law firm, and teaches Sunday School at Our Lady of Refuge. His neighbors say the video is so hard to watch.
“I’m a believer in God, that he watches over me, but sometimes you have to watch out for the fools, and there are some fools in this neighborhood,” says Diana Monroe.
“That’s really sad – that’s desperation in my opinion,” says Elizabeth Sing.
King says that he believes the suspects are animals.
“They’re not human – they’re not human at all,” he says.
If you have any tips on the suspect or the assault, police are urging the public to call Crime Stoppers at 1800 577 TIPS