HARLEM, Manhattan – It was a violent and brutal attack on a woman outside a liquor store in Harlem and, on Saturday, there was a demonstration to prevent further violence against women.
The police released a surveillance video of three men who began to argue verbally with a 31-year-old woman outside a liquor store last Monday night at 5:52 pm on West 128th Street near Frederick Douglass Boulevard .
Police say two of the men kicked the victim several times. A man in a red jacket then, according to police, bit the victim on the forehead. The trio then stole the victim’s iPhone 11, valued at $ 750.
The victim was taken by EMS to a local hospital to be treated for a bite mark with broken skin on his face, pain and bruises.
“I think what they did was horrible. Nobody should be treated like that, ”Troy Mills, a liquor store customer, told PIX11 News. “What they did was totally disrespectful, I hope the police will catch them.”
Police say the 31-year-old victim and two of the three men were inside the liquor store before the fight.
Ababe Damalah, a liquor store clerk, was working that night.
“How did he bite you?” Damalah asked PIX11 News. “It’s like an animal.”
The police do not know what led to the fight. Their only description of the trio is what they were wearing. The unidentified man number one has a red jacket, number two with a black jacket and number three with a red hooded sweatshirt and a denim vest over it, according to the surveillance video released by the police.
Alpheaus Marcus was one of the organizers who asked community groups to meet at a rally called “Protect Black Women” to send a clear message.
“It’s hideous, it’s barbaric,” Marcus told PiX11 News. “This is the second recent incident of an assault on a woman. These men need to be taken off the streets, ”he added.
Organizers are asking state legislators to toughen penalties for men convicted of assaulting women and the elderly.
Anyone with information regarding this incident should call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM [nypdcrimestoppers.com] or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.