Neighbor steps into help as 3 men attack teen in Queens chanting 'ISIS'

ASTORIA, Queens (WABC) -- A neighbor stepped in as three men carrying a bat and a pipe were attacking a 19-year-old while yelling 'ISIS'.

The Good Samaritan, identified as Ron Garcia, said at first he saw the suspects pushing the victim up against a gate. At first, he thought they were horse playing, but then it became obvious to him that these were not his friends, and this was not a game.

Around 1:20 p.m. on April 27, the victim was walking south on 10th Street in Astoria when three men began to follow him.

The victim turned and one of the men called him an Arab. According to the NYPD, the man punched him twice in the face. The victim pushed him away.

A second man, who had a pipe, started yelling "ISIS-ISIS." A third man was carrying a baseball bat.

When the victim then ran across the street to Garcia for help, his assailants were hot on his heels.

"When they saw him cross the street and saw him talking to me, I kind of made a move, and then I thought twice, like 'let me assess the situation, and they ran," says Garcia, "they did me the favor."

Garcia said the then saw the lump on the victim's head.

"I know he's a good kid, he didn't even deserve that lump on his head," adds Garcia.

The victim's father, Ray Bisram, says the teen is 'traumatized'.

"A guy punched him and another guy running with a bat and metal pipe screaming out racists words and stuff towards him he's pretty traumatized because he's thinking what if they would've hit me with that pipe?" said the victim's father, Ray Bisram.

Bisram calls the suspects 'hoodlums with nothing better to do'. He calls his neighbor a hero, because if it were not for Garcia, he says his son could have been hospitalized, or worse.

"It happened so fast, you know, he was just walking faster away, and started hearing people running behind him...thank god the neighbor, I have to give so much credit to my neighbor," added Bisram.

"I'm not a hero, I'm just an innocent bystander who was in the right place at the right time. I'm a New York native, and I'm a Queens native. If you're on my block, I don't care what block I live on, I'm going to take care of you just like I would if you walked into my house," adds Garcia.

Garcia may have been the perfect person for a situation like this - someone who is trained to sense trouble, and is not afraid of conflict - Garcia works as a security guard.

The victim had minor injuries, and refused medical attention.

The three are described as:

-- A white man, 17-19 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, 180 pounds, chin strap beard and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black T-shirt, dark colored blue jeans and black sneakers.

-- A white-Hispanic man, 17-19 years old, short black close cut hair, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark colored two tone sweater with vertical lines, black pants and black sneakers.

--A black-Hispanic man, 18 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, black hair and a beard. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweat jacket with white horizontal stripes, black jeans, grey T-shirt and grey sneakers.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).