Exclusive: Food delivery worker speaks after random attack in Hell's Kitchen

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Food deliveryman smashed in head from behind after dropping off foodPolice say a suspect approached 47-year-old Onder Unaler from behind and, without warning, hit him in the head with the hard plastic bottom of a traffic cone.

HELL'S KITCHEN, Manhattan (WABC) -- A food deliveryman is speaking out after a violent, random attack while he was on the job in Hell's Kitchen.

It happened moments after he made a delivery just before 9 p.m. last Thursday on West 47th Street.

Police say a suspect approached 47-year-old Onder Unaler from behind and, without warning, hit him in the back of the head with the hard plastic bottom of a traffic cone.

He was hit so hard that Unaler fell to the ground.

In an exclusive interview, Unaler told Eyewitness News the attacker said nothing, and he has no idea why he was targeted. He didn't even know someone was behind him.

"It's horrible because you have no chance to defend yourself," he said. "I lost the feeling of my body."

The assault was captured on surveillance video.

WATCH: Surveillance video of Hell's Kitchen attack

Surveillance video shows the apparently random attack in Hell's Kitchen on Thursday, May 20.

The suspect appeared to laugh with friends after the attack before fleeing south on 9th Avenue toward 42nd Street.

"I was on the ground, I felt like my skull was crushed before losing my conscious, I just screamed out for help," Unaler said.

Unaler suffered a severe gash to the head. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and required six staples to close the wound.

Angel Valencia is a resident and landlord on the street. He said for the most part it's a good neighborhood.

"This trend just started now...personally I'm confused, I don't know what's going on," Valencia said.

The same goes for Unaler, who is already back at work, but now more cautious.

"I work daytime, nighttime, it doesn't matter, suddenly you feel you need to check your behind," he said.

Police are asking for the public's help identifying the attacker.

Call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by messaging on Twitter @NYPDTips.

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