This week, a cancer survivor was unexpectedly punched in the head while walking outside Macy’s Herald Square, prompting her to express her fears about safety in New York, as reported by the police.
Mustafa Sevindik, age 71, was out with his wife, Hruja, 66, and their son near the flagship store on West 34th Street around 4:30 p.m. when a woman suddenly began to strike him. Initially, Mustafa thought he might have just been tapped lightly on the back of the head, but he soon realized the woman continued to hit him multiple times, potentially using her cell phone, Hruja shared with a local publication.
“She was abusing him and hitting him,” Hruja said, clearly shaken. “He thought it was a friend messing with him at first, but then it just kept happening, and then she ran.”
The suspect, described as being in her 50s, lost consciousness at one point and fled into the store before escaping on an escalator or elevator, according to police.
“Employees and some bystanders tried to catch her, but she got away,” Hruja recounted. “Then the police and ambulance arrived to take Mustafa to the hospital.”
Mustafa was treated at Lenox Hill Healthplex for headaches, swelling, and bruising. However, due to a detected blood clot, doctors restrained him for several hours and conducted a CT scan, his wife explained.
“New York is not safe,” Mustafa stated through Hruja’s translation, reflecting on his experience. “If she had a knife or something sharp, I could have been killed; it happens all the time.”
Mustafa, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, was still grappling with the incident at home on Thursday.
“He’s still anxious,” Hruja said. “He keeps asking me if something similar is going to happen again. His head is still in pain.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement is working to find the suspect, who was last seen wearing a long maroon bubble coat, black pants, and carrying a black bag.
The NYPD’s Midtown South Precinct, which oversees the area, has reported a slight rise in both felony and misdemeanor assaults this year. Up to Sunday, there were 491 felony assaults recorded, which is an increase from 477 during the same time last year. Additionally, the precinct noted a jump in reported misdemeanor assault cases, with a total of 1,003 compared to 927 last year.
