A 68-year-old man was punched and seriously injured in downtown Brooklyn in the early hours of March 31, in what police describe as a sudden street attack just off the Barclays Center transit hub. The assault left him with multiple lacerations and facial fractures, and the attacker ran off on foot, authorities say. The incident took place in the vicinity of Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, a busy intersection near the arena.
According to a wanted alert posted by NYPD Crime Stoppers, the attack occurred at approximately 12:25 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31, within the confines of the 78th Precinct, and the suspect remains unidentified. The alert states that the individual punched the victim in the face, causing him to fall and sustain multiple lacerations and fractures, before fleeing the location on foot. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $3,500 for information that leads to an arrest and indictment.
Where It Happened
Times Plaza, where Flatbush, Fourth and Atlantic avenues converge, sits beside the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center transit complex and the Atlantic Terminal LIRR. It is one of Brooklyn’s heaviest used transportation hubs. Per the station’s profile on Wikipedia, the complex is the busiest subway station in the borough and connects several subway lines with the LIRR. The Flatbush corridor has also been the focus of safety planning and a DOT redesign aimed at reducing crashes and pedestrian risk, as reported by Streetsblog NY.
How To Report Tips
Police and Crime Stoppers are urging anyone with information to come forward. Per the NYPD, tips can be shared by calling 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), via the Spanish hotline at 1-888-57-PISTA, through the Crime Stoppers website, or by using the department’s Crime Stoppers mobile app. The wanted notice from Crime Stoppers highlights a reward of up to $3,500 for a tip that leads to an arrest and indictment.
78th Precinct And Investigation
The location of the assault falls within the NYPD’s 78th Precinct, whose station house is listed at 65 6th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the precinct’s own description, local detectives typically handle investigations of assaults in this area while Crime Stoppers coordinates anonymous tips and potential rewards. Authorities have not named a suspect and are asking anyone who saw the incident or has video to contact investigators.
Background
Times Plaza and Atlantic Terminal have seen high profile violent incidents in recent years, including a fatal stabbing near Barclays Center last year that prompted community concern and calls for better public safety measures. For this latest case, NYPD Crime Stoppers is again urging anyone with information to use the anonymous tip channels.
