Safety patrol: 91-year-old man attacked on way to Brooklyn synagogue, robbed of $4

NEW YORK — A 91-year-old man is recovering after being assaulted by a stranger Monday morning in Brooklyn.

CBS2’s Leah Mishkin spoke to the shomrim coordinator that responded to the call.

The victim was on his way to synagogue. Surveillance video shows him taking a seat across the street from his building in Flatbush. The next thing you know, a man goes right up to him.

“He clearly leans over to him and tells him, you know, ‘How much money do you have on you?’ So when he says ‘I only have a couple of dollars,’ he takes the backhand of the cane and you see a quick swing at his head,” Flatbush Shomrim coordinator Steve Weill said Tuesday.

Weill responded to the call. He said the 91-year-old was left with a gash over his eye and needed stiches.

“My understanding is he had $4 on him and he took it. But if you watch the video, as the 91-year-old man is running away, the perp is going through his pockets. He’s still trying to shake him down,” Weill said.

The father of three wasn’t home on Tuesday afternoon. His son told Mishkin he’s staying with him for now. He said his dad has lived in Flatbush for more than 30 years and nothing like this has ever happened.

“He tried to fight back a little bit. He was screaming, hollering. Very scary, very scary for the family to watch that video,” Weill said.

Danielle Tertulien lives next door to the 91-year-old. She said her neighbor is a gentleman, always saying good afternoon and good evening. She was shaken up by the attack.

“I don’t know why they attacked him, because this neighborhood is a quiet neighborhood,” Tertulien said.

Weill said the victim moved to this country from Iran. He said he doesn’t speak English so they spoke through his son.

“He’s a tough man. He’s a tough man. He has gone through a lot in his life. But he was very shook up,” Weill said.

Flyers with the suspect’s photo have been placed around the community.

“Attacking an elderly man is kind of cowardly and to do that here, I mean, these people have to be punished,” Weill said.

The shomrim coordinator told CBS2 the group received numerous tips already and is in close contact with the NYPD. He believes the suspect is local and will be arrested soon.