A 30-year-old man allegedly punched a 9-year-old girl in the face while she was with her mother at Grand Central Station in New York City on Saturday. Just a few days ago, police charged the same suspect with punching a woman and breaking her nose, after which authorities quickly released him from custody.
What are the details?
Police said the girl and her mother were in the Grand Central dining concourse just before noon when the suspect, 30-year-old Jean Carlos Zarzuela, punched the girl in the face. WNBC TV reported.
Police said the man fled before the Bronx girl could be taken to the hospital.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Image source: YouTube screenshot
The victim suffered from dizziness and pain; WPIX-TV reportedThis was reported as information from the Metropolitan Area Transportation Bureau. She is expected to recover, WPIX added.
Police arrested Zarzuela within hours, according to WNBC. He was charged with assault, WPIX said, adding that the MTA indicated additional charges were pending.
WNBC reported that court records show police had arrested Zarzuela about a week earlier (April 4) and charged him with assault, and law enforcement officials said Zarzuela randomly punched a 54-year-old woman inside Grand Central, breaking her nose, it added.
In the previous case, a judge set Zarzuela’s bail at $2,500 cash, and Zarzuela was jailed, but was released after appearing before a different judge on April 9, sources said. sources told WNBC.
A Concourse coffee shop employee who came to work immediately after the alleged assault on the girl had an interesting reaction during an interview with WNBC.
“My co-workers were like, ‘Oh my god, a kid got hit in front of Tartinary today,’ and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s terrible, who was that?'” It seems like this guy has caused us problems before,” she told WNBC.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
“He swings at people sometimes, like, phony, but now he’s actually swinging at people, right?” she also told WNBC, adding, “Obviously. You know, there’s a huge mental health crisis here, and reform for that is not going to change anytime soon? So, I don’t know, it’s a very sensitive issue.”
9-year-old girl punched in the face by Grand Central attacker: Police | Police NBC New Yorkyoutube.be
“It makes no sense that this man, who was recently released after being charged with randomly punching others and breaking the victim’s nose, would be back in a public place where he can attack others, especially children.” said the MTA communications director. Tim Minton told WPIX. “Those in charge of the criminal justice system need to learn from this episode before more innocent people are victimized.”
WPIX’s video report refers to the suspect as a “homeless individual.”
Man arrested for hitting girl in Grand Central: MTAyoutube.be
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