"And he punched my eye," said Carmine Nieves, robbery victim.
Carmine Neives' eye is now swollen and badly bruised, after she was attacked and viciously beaten by a much younger thug in the elevator of her own building on Thursday.
"Did he say anything to you?" Eyewitness News asked.
"Yes, but I can't remember" Nieves said.
The suspect, a young black man 17 to 20 years old first gained entry into the lobby of the building in the Morris Houses.
He paced, and then was seen following Carmine into the elevator and selecting the floor right below hers.
He got out and apparently ran up stairs to Carmine's surprise.
"And come to the elevator and attacked me. He put the hand over the mouth and punched me and throw me onto the floor," Nieves said.
The suspect first grabbed Carmine by the hair and the throat, and pushed her back into the elevator.
Then, he violently threw her to the floor and began to punch her.
She took a vicious beating even as he reached back several times to keep the elevator door from closing.
He then finally started grabbing her jewelry and her money.
Several tenants in the building say the suspect did not look familiar to them.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
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