An 18-year-old was surrounded and beaten by a group of eight men on the Grand Concourse late Sunday night, leaving him injured and detectives scrambling for leads.
Police say the crew came up from behind, slammed the teen to the ground and then punched and kicked him while trying to yank items from his pockets. The botched robbery ended with the attackers running off and the victim on his way to the hospital.
According to police, EMS took the teenager to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Investigators are now working to identify the men involved.
Police released details
The assault happened around 9:30 p.m. in front of 2917 Grand Concourse, when eight unidentified men approached the 18-year-old from behind and attacked him while attempting to remove property from his pockets, as reported by News12 Bronx. The men then took off in an unknown direction, the outlet reported.
Police said EMS transported the victim to a local hospital, where he was treated in stable condition. Detectives are asking anyone who recognizes the suspects to come forward.
Where it happened
The attack unfolded outside 2917 Grand Concourse in the Bedford Park stretch of the boulevard, a corridor that mixes apartment buildings with businesses within Community District 7. Local property listings and neighborhood guides show that the building sits in the area covered by the NYPD's 52nd Precinct, which includes Bedford Park and surrounding neighborhoods, according to StreetEasy.
The Grand Concourse is a busy artery, with buses and subway access nearby, and that can mean a steady stream of pedestrians even later at night.
A tense stretch for the borough
This latest beating lands in the middle of a run of violent incidents in the Bronx that has many residents on edge. Recent local coverage noted a sharp week-to-date rise in shooting victims in parts of the borough, a spike officials say they are watching closely as summer approaches, according to News12 Bronx.
Community leaders and police have said they are monitoring the trend and following up on tips as investigations continue.
How to help
Anyone who recognizes the men involved in the Grand Concourse attack or who has video of the incident is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online, or use the CS-NYC mobile app, according to the NYPD's Crime Stoppers information on NYC.gov.
Tips can be submitted anonymously and may be eligible for a reward if they lead to an arrest and indictment. Spanish-language assistance is available through the program at 1-888-57-PISTA.
