A seemingly innocuous trip to the grocery store left a man bloodied and bruised after a team of men jumped the 53-year-old in the aisles of a Bronx supermarket last week.
Video of the brutal attack shows the particularly vicious nature of the assault at C-Town Fresh Market off East Tremont Avenue on Dec. 15.
The Bronx man seen on camera strolling across the store on his phone is approached by two men who square off with the victim before taking countless swings, and punches. The duo unleashes punch after punch, kick after kick, sending the man to the ground and nearby customers scattering.
An employee tried to stop the beating but the attackers were unrelenting. At one point, video shows the man raise his hands in surrender, but that does nothing to stop or even slow the attackers down.
Finally, when they finish, the men grab the man's phone and then chuck a gallon of oil at the injured man while he's cowering on the floor.
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Residents near Tremont and Webster avenues were appalled by the supermarket assault. Jimmy Bonsu was disgusted by the bystanders who did not use their phones to call police, but instead used their phones to record the attack.
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"He should have separated them or called police immediately," Bonsu said.
For Yahesa de Jesus, this is her C-Town Fresh Market, this is where she buys groceries for her family. The mother said the attack is not only uncalled for, but with these suspects still on the run, it’s dangerous for the entire community.
“We live around here. Our kids. I have two more other kids that go high school," de Jesus said. "Yeah it makes me worried.”
Police released images of the wanted suspects this week along with a plea for anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).