Surveillance of suspect wanted in robbery of elderly Bronx woman held hostage for more than 2 hours

BRONX (WABC) -- Police released surveillance video of a man they say jumped and attacked an elderly woman with a knife who forced his way into her apartment in the Bronx.

The 84-year-old woman was robbed of her money, but not her dignity.

She spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News about her ordeal and the police search to find the suspect.

It was about 10:15 a.m. Monday morning when the victim, who did not want her face on camera, was coming home from church when a man suddenly pounced on her from the stairwell, pushed her inside her apartment, and began to choke her.

"All I was thinking was I hope he doesn't kill me, that I see my grandchildren and children," the victim said.

The man, who is still on the loose, even came armed with a large knife and threatened to hurt the woman if she didn't give him all the money she had.

This 84-year-old loyal churchgoer complied, scrounging up about $300, some of it hidden under her mattress. He rummaged for even more.

"I said, 'I'm praying for you,' and he said, 'Why would you do something like this?'" the victim said.

At one point, the victim even offered the attacker wine and made him a sandwich, desperate courtesies just to get him to leave, which he did not for two and a half hours.

"Right now, I couldn't go out, I just go right back up the stairs," the victim said.

The surveillance video shows the suspect wearing a black leather jacket and a black hat.

With the man still out there somewhere the victim, a native of Ireland who has lived in the Bronx for 60 years, says she no longer feels safe in her own apartment and is temporarily moving upstate to live with her daughter.

She says it was only faith that pulled her through.

"I'm alright now, God is good to me, that's all I have to say," the victim said.

The victim is pretty sore after the attack, but she still found the strength to go vote Tuesday, just a day after the attack. She says she loves Hillary Clinton too much to not cast her ballot.