Man dies after being punched during fight in the Bronx; 2 arrested

BRONX, N.Y. (WABC) -- A 30-year-old man in the Bronx died hours after being punched in the face during a fight Sunday evening.

The victim, identified as Jose Lucero, of the Bronx, was in a fight around 9 p.m. in the 1100 block of Stratford Avenue in the Soundview section.

"My uncle, he tripped and hit the car by accident, and that's when everything started," the victim's 12-year-old nephew, Shakespeare Ventura, said.

But there was nothing Ventura could do to save his uncle's life.

"He talked to everybody," he said. "He was kind, like my second father."

Jose Lucero was a family man, walking home with his sister, niece and Shakespeare when they approached a parked car that is now stained with blood.

Shakespeare says his uncle was carrying large wooden poles, part of a volleyball net, when he tripped and hit the car with the poles.

"He put his hands up and said, 'I'm sorry,'" he said. "And that's when the guy said, 'so you did it,' and he went and punched my uncle, and he fell."

Shakespeare said it was a group of about seven men from the neighborhood who then went after his little cousin.

"My aunt got in front of the guy and said, 'you can't hit a 13-year-old,' but he still did," he said.

The metal pole was part of the evidence detectives carried away. Shakespeare also went to the precinct to try and help officers piece the events together.

After being temporarily knocked unconscious, Jose came to, and Shakespeare helped him stumble down the block about 300 feet to his apartment. But his uncle once again collapsed in the kitchen.

He started throwing up blood, and that's when he had chest problems," Shakespeare said. "He couldn't breathe."

He became ill, lost consciousness and EMS responded. Police were trying to revive him, but they couldn't.

Two men have been arrested.

Andrixs Suarez, 23, is charged with manslaughter and assault, while 26-year-old Wander Rosario is charged with assault and harassment.

The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

The investigation is ongoing.