92-year-old woman in Park Slope placed in chokehold, robbed, police say
PARK SLOPE, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Police are looking for a suspect in the violent mugging of a 92-year-old woman in Brooklyn.
Around 1 p.m. Wednesday, a man approached the victim from behind as she went into a building in the 500 block of Ninth Street in Park Slope.
According to the NYPD, the suspect threatened her with a gun and placed her in a chokehold. After he pushed her inside the lobby, the suspect demanded her money.
As the suspect took the victim's money, a man came across the pair, police said. The suspect pointed the handgun at the man and took his money, too. The suspect fled with about $370.
The victim, Elizabeth Gioino, said she was followed home from the local library by her attacker in the middle of the day. She had no idea she was being followed by a 250 pound man with a gun.
She said the man pushed his way in as she opened the door to her building, shoved her into the vestibule, choked her and demanded money.
The victim was not seriously hurt, but she is traumatized. "he came inside, he choked me, shut up, shut up, give me money, I don't have no money, please leave me alone," she said.
She said the suspect pulled out a gun and threatend her. "I said, 'please leave me alone, I'm a sick woman. I'm, I'm old enough, leave me alone.' He choking me three times, 'give me the money, give me the money!' I don't have no money," she said.
The suspect, police said, also has been linked to the home invasion of a 71-year-old woman on Feb. 11. In that attack, the victim was hit on the head with a gun and robbed.
The individual is described as black, 40 to 50 years old, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet, 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark, hooded sweater, a black jacket, a black wool cap, black gloves, light pants and dark shoes.
A $2,500 reward was posted for information on these robberies. Police posted a series of warnings throughout the neighborhood.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
