Police have arrested a man in connection with the beating death of a 68-year-old grandfather on an East Village street Friday night.
Jamie Pugh, 20, who lives in a housing project down the street from where the man was beaten, was taken into custody early Tuesday. Police say they received a phone tip that led them to Pugh.
He was later arrested on charges of second-degree murder, attempted robbery and assault. He's expected to be arraigned in court Wednesday morning.
It wasn't immediately clear whether Pugh had an attorney. He did not speak to reporters as he was led from the police precinct station.
The victim, Ruan Wen Hui, had just dropped off his granddaughter and was walking on East Sixth Street between avenues C and D when a suspect came up from behind, yelled at him and started attacking, officials said.
Surveillance video from the scene shows the suspect tossing the man against a wall, then stomping and punching him. After the attack, the assailant is seen walking away.
Hui was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. He died Saturday, police say.
Local
Hui, a Chinese immigrant, worked in a garment factory for the last 15 years, his daughter said. She described him as a man who always tried to help others and said she didn't know why anyone would want to attack him.
"Everybody loves him," she said. "Nobody can accept that he is gone."
