Police are searching for a woman who punched a 74-year-old woman in the face in Midtown, Manhattan

Friday, August 26, 2022

74-year-old woman punched in the face in Midtown

Police are asking for help to identify a woman who randomly punched another woman in the face on the sidewalk.

MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Police are asking for help to identify a woman who randomly punched another woman in the face on a Manhattan sidewalk Wednesday morning.

It happened around 11 a.m. Wednesday on Madison Avenue at East 52nd Street in Midtown.

Authorities say the 74-year-old victim was walking when she was suddenly punched in the face and fell to the ground.

The victim, who did not want her name used, told Eyewitness News she was out running errands at the time, and that her boyfriend was standing right next to her when the punch happened.

She said no words were exchanged, and and she didn't see the attack coming.

The victim was taken to the hospital to be checked out.

The suspect fled the scene, and police are working on getting more information from any witnesses who may have seen the incident.

The victim is back home after being checked out at the hospital, and she said she has been on high alert due to the recent attacks, which is why she was running errands with her partner.

She thought that she'd be safer with someone else, but now, she is left to wonder if the crime was motivated by hate, as she is an Asian American.

However, she says she may never know, as the woman said nothing prior to the punch.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.

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