Neighbor Assaulted On October 28 Comes Forward With Full Account

A neighbor concerned with the 70th Precinct’s assertion that no “knockout” incidents have occurred in our area discusses in full being assaulted on the corner of E 18th Street and Dorchester Road on the evening of Monday, October 28. She says:

My assault happened around 6:30pm (before daylight savings) on a week night. There were plenty of folks around, walking dogs, pushing strollers, etc. I was chatting on my phone just outside my building. It didn’t occur to me that this could be risky.

I saw the guys who assaulted me before it happened. They were talking on a nearby corner. I didn’t give them much thought. It seemed innocent enough to chat with your friends. When I was just turning to enter the building, they started to walk past me.

From behind, I was sucker punched. The punch was so hard that it knocked me over and took my eyeglasses off my face. They grabbed my iphone mid conversation and ran. They didn’t take anything else like my bag or wallet.

I called the police, they came and we looked for them in a patrol car then went to the 70th precinct and I met with a detective. The entire assault was caught on video as my building has cameras.

The detective came back to my building and collected the footage. He followed up several times in the next two weeks. Much more than I expected, but I haven’t heard anything since.

There seems to be some controversy over whether or not this was a “knock out.” Honestly I don’t care either way about definitions.

The detective was great and I do not have any issues with him. However, I do feel it’s misleading for the precinct captain to tell residents of Ditmas Park that these kinds of attacks are only happening in other neighborhoods and not in DP because of the resources he’s deployed. I haven’t seen any officers in my neighborhood since my attack.

I don’t walk my dog alone anymore, I don’t take my phone out in public and I take cabs after dark. That’s how I feel about safety in Ditmas Park now.

She says of the four men involved in the assault, two ran toward Cortelyou Road with her phone, and two (one on a BMX bike) went towards E 19th Street.

While she acknowledges this could have happened anywhere, she is still considering a move to another neighborhood. “Getting assaulted literally steps away from my apartment building entrance within the first two months doesn’t leave then best impression for wanting to continue living here,” she says.

If you have any information about this incident, please contact the 70th Precinct at 718-851-5511.