A 24-year-old man from Brooklyn has been arrested after he allegedly attacked a 71-year-old man with a shovel in the Gravesend neighborhood, according to NYPD statements. The New York Post reported that the suspect, Sean P. Abt, was apprehended this past Tuesday evening on charges of assault related to the incident which took place on December 27, 2025 on Stryker Court and West 1 Street.
Police say the attack occurred just days after Abt allegedly stole ribeye steak from a Stop & Shop on Avenue Y near East 17th Street. "The bizarre shovel attack came as a post-Christmas storm blanketed the Big Apple in about four inches of snow," the New York Post reported. The victim was taken to Coney Island Hospital and was listed in a stable condition by authorities. Aside from this holiday season mayhem, Abt reportedly has no other arrests on his record.
The assault on the 71-year-old man allegedly followed an argument, as PIX11 mentions. The incident took place around 11:30 a.m., and following the attack, Abt fled the scene. He was then apprehended before his arraignment, which was pending as of Wednesday.
Details about the nature of the argument that precipitated the attack or the condition of the victim beyond his initial stable designation have not been released. Both the assault and the alleged theft are matters for which Abt now faces legal proceedings. Sean Abt's arraignments in connection to those cases were still pending at the time of the latest reports.
