Random violence struck the Upper East Side in broad daylight earlier this month, when an elderly customer who had just left Breads Bakery and was on his way home got smashed in the face with a golf club in a random attack by a homeless man, police confirm to Upper East Site.
Investigators say it was around 10:45 am on Friday, February, 3rd, when the victim, a 73-year-old man, had walked out of the bakery, located at 1294 Third Avenue, when the stranger with whom he had never argued, spoke or even looked at, came up and bashed him in the right side of his face with a metal golf club.
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Officers from the NYPD’s 19th Precinct raced to the scene, near the corner of East 74th Street, and after a quick canvass of the surrounding area found the suspect, 46-year-old Carlos Samot, a short time later — still armed with the golf club — and took him into custody, police say.
As for the 73-year-old who caught a golf club to the face — believe it or not, police say he dodged a major injury and refused medical attention at the scene, only complaining about the pain to the right side of his face.
Felony assaults are surging on the Upper East Side, up nearly 24% to start the year, as compared to the same time period last year. That translates to a total of 26 more felony assaults reported overall in 2023.
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While that may not sound like a lot, it is important to remember there was a person victimized in each and every one of these criminal acts.
Exactly one week before the golf club beating outside Breads Bakery, on Friday January 27th, a different elderly man was punched in the face by a stranger on East 91st Street, between First and Second Avenues, also in an unprovoked attack, according to police.
There is no apparent connection between the attacks.
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