Unholy Mugger Slugs Elderly Woman in Front of Church

Victim Fighting for Her Life After Falling Down Church Stairs When Robber Sucker Punched Her

The NYPD is searching for this man in connection with an attack on an elderly woman outside a Queens church. The woman is in critical condition. -Photo by NYPD

By Dan Gesslein

Queens Voice

April 8, 2024

QUEENS - An elderly woman was punched in the face and fell down the steps of a Queens church when she was slugged by a mugger, cops said. The woman remains in critical condition following the beating. 

The NYPD is asking for the public’s help in trying to catch the suspect in a vicious beating outside a Queens church. Cops said the attacker not only sent the elderly parishioner to the ICU fighting for her life but stole her car as well. 

At around 8:30 am on April 7, a 68-year-old woman was standing at the doors to the Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. Cops said a man walked up to the woman at the top of the staircase and then sucker punched her in the face. The blow caused the woman to fall backwards down the stone steps. 

As the victim lay helpless at the bottom of the stairs, cops said, the attacker removed her purse which contained $300 cash, cell phone and credit cards. The purse also contained the victim’s car keys. 

Cops said the attacker used the stolen car keys to gain access to the victim’s 2006 Nissan Altima and then drove off. 

The victim was rushed to Booth Memorial Hospital where she is listed in critical condition.

The attacker is described as a male with a dark complexion who is between the ages of 18 and 25. He is 5 foot 8 and a has a medium build. He was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt underneath a black jacket, black pants, black face mask and black Jordan's with red trim.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. 

All calls are strictly confidential.