New York City

Sources: Man Mad at Friends Over Cocaine Kills Random Person With Kick to Back on Brooklyn Street

What to Know

  • A 63-year-old man died hours after an unprovoked kick to the back by another man in Brooklyn over the weekend, sources say
  • The victim died three hours after arriving at a hospital; he was initially conscious. Authorities later noticed a bruise on his back
  • Cops found video that showed the kick; they found the suspect, who allegedly said he did it because he was mad his friends hoarded drugs

A 63-year-old man panhandling on a Brooklyn street died after taking an unprovoked kick to the back over the weekend, and the man police believe was behind it allegedly told cops he was just angry his friends refused to give him his cocaine, law enforcement sources tell News 4. 

The victim initially was taken to the hospital alert, though not answering questions, after the attack on East New York Avenue near Junius Street shortly before noon Saturday. He died at the hospital three hours later. 

The medical examiner and police noticed a bruise on the victim's back and thought he may have suffered a ruptured spleen, law enforcement sources say. Detectives launched an investigation and found surveillance video of the deadly kick; the video was recorded about 20 minutes before police were called and found the victim on the sidewalk. The case was ruled a homicide. 

Video also showed the victim, who witnesses identified as "Pat" they knew from a local shelter, panhandling for cash up and down East New York Avenue. As he was doing that, a man is seen walking out of a bodega and delivering the blow. 

Cops questioned the person they say is the man seen in that video. Sources say the man said he only pushed the victim, and that he allegedly said he did so because he was agitated his friends would not give him his cocaine. 

It's not clear if charges have been filed against him at this time.

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