New Video Shows Pedestrians Ignoring Bloodied Bike Lock Assault Victim
Neighbor Tom Prendergast filmed from a terrace next to Bartel-Pritchard Square.
New video footage has emerged of the victim in Wednesday’s bike lock attack clutching his bloodied head as he bolted down Prospect Park Southwest searching for help. But instead of quick assistance, he was greeted with the “big city cold shoulder.”
In the clip, the victim is seen running towards Bartel-Pritchard Square calling for help, and at least two bystanders ignored that call.
The first bystander seems to cut a slight diagonal on the sidewalk in an attempt to avoid the victim. The second bystander jogs past the victim, turns briefly, and then continues on their path without pausing.
As we’ve reported, the pedestrian was injured after being hit in the head with a bike lock after an argument with a cyclist on Prospect Park Southwest near Bartel-Pritchard Square on Wednesday, March 9 at approximately 2:20pm.
Cops say a 21-year-old man was crossing the street as the suspect approached the area on a bicycle. The cyclist and pedestrian avoided a near collision, and a heated argument subsequently took place.
During the altercation, the cyclist struck the pedestrian’s head with a bike lock. The suspect — currently described only as male and white — fled the scene on his bike.
“The guy [victim] holding his bloodied head was in an argument with three guys on Prospect Park West, when one of them hit him on the head with a bike lock,” says Tom Prendergast, who was on hand to take these photos and video.
“I heard the victim bellowing across from where I live, ‘I’ll punch the fucking shit outta the three of you,’ adds Prendergast. That is when he began filming the incident.
“At that I point I grabbed my camcorder and went to my terrace and was able to video him coming down the park side holding a rag on on his bleeding scalp,” he says. “He [the victim] was yelling to a friend, ‘I’m going to the pharmacy to get help,” which he did — and that’s when I went downstairs.”
According to Prendergast, the police came immediately, however the suspect fled the scene before police arrived.
While the police confirmed the involvement of the cyclist, they could not confirm the other two individuals in the altercation with the suspect.
The victim suffered head lacerations, and was taken by ambulance to nearby New York Methodist Hospital, cops say.
“I spoke with the lieutenant who asked if I had videoed the incident. I mentioned I had tried to from my terrace, but my vision was blocked by the trees,” says Prendergast.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting your tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Police say all calls are confidential.
