What to Know
- A beloved NYC man who is known by people close to him as 'The Professor' was brutally beaten inside an Upper West Side Citibank on Sunday
- Young K Kim, 87, was taken to an area hospital where remains in extremely critical condition
- Police said they arrested his attacker, Matthew Lee, 50, of Manhattan, and charged him with assault and robbery
Police say they have nabbed the man who they say put a beloved and elderly New York City man in the hospital fighting for his life.
NYPD cops claim it was Matthew Lee, 50, of Manhattan, who robbed 87-year-old Young K Kim inside a Citibank on Broadway on the Upper West Side over the weekend. Neighbors who know Kim call him “The Professor.”
“He would always say hello, he would always ask how my son is,” Jill Goldstein, a neighbor of Kim’s, said. “He would offer to pay for my breakfast.”
Kim was beaten so badly that he is in extremely critical condition at an area hospital, according to officials. They say Lee snuck up behind Kim, punched him in the head and stole his money, leaving him severely injured. Witnesses at the bank called 911.
Kim would go to a local diner for breakfast a couple times a week. A waitress who said Kim is her longtime customer was shocked when she heard about his condition.
“He’s a wonderful person and very smart,” Rosa Soto said. “We love him so much and he loved us, too.”
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Lee is charged with robbery and assault, authorities said. It wasn’t clear if he had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
