What to Know
- Two men were talking on a street in the Bronx early Sunday, when one of them suddenly started wailing on the other, police say
- The beating in University Heights was all caught on camera and the victim was beaten so badly he is in critical condition, officials say
- No arrests have been made; witnesses are urged to call investigators with tips
An innocent conversation on a street in the Bronx turned into a brutal beating that left a man in critical condition, police say.
Surveillance video taken on Sunday around 3 a.m. shows the two men talking on West 183rd Street in University Heights when suddenly one of the men begins punching the other man in the face.
The video shows the vicious attack continuing even when the 38-year-old victim drops to the ground and then again while he is lying on the sidewalk.
The suspect robbed the victim before fleeing the area, police said.
Basheer Alabdi, who works at a bodega up the block, saw the victim lying on the ground after the attack. He said the man "looked like he was dead."
"I was scared, I called 911 right away," he said.
Alabdi said he saw both men in the bodega minutes before the attack. He said the victim appeared drunk, and the attacker followed him out.
The victim was taken to an area hospital, where he is in critical condition, officials said.
Police are asking for help to find the attacker in the red coat. Witnesses are urged to call investigators with tips.
