Memorial pays tribute to man beaten to death outside grocery store in Harlem

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
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HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- A memorial grew Tuesday night outside a grocery store in Harlem where a man was beaten to death by a homeless person earlier this month.

Bernard Gonzalez Perez, 63, was sweeping a sidewalk outside Food Universe located at 538 West 138th Street just before midnight on July 7, when after a verbal dispute, a homeless man picked up a large plank of wood and hit Gonzalez over the head multiple times.

Eyewitness News obtained surveillance video on Tuesday, showing the victim fall to the ground.

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According to the manager of the store, the victim was an employee there.

Perez was taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where he passed away four days later on July 11.

Carlos Ramirez, 48, was arrested and charged with assault.

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