Philadelphia Police: Man Punches 71-Year-Old Recreation Center Employee Multiple Times In Face, Steals Cellphone
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police are searching for a suspect who viciously assaulted a 71-year-old recreation center employee and stole his cellphone. The incident happened Tuesday at the Hunting Park Recreation Center, located at 1000 West Hunting Park Ave., around 2:40 p.m.
In surveillance video released by police, a man in red shorts is seen walking through the park before entering the recreation center.
He has a brief conversation with the victim who was eating his lunch and then the video shows the suspect punching the elderly employee some 15 times.
The suspect then fled the scene and was last seen heading through the park in an unknown direction.
The 71-year-old man suffered cuts and bruises to his right eye.
"It's horrific," Philadelphia Police Capt. Sekou Kinebrew said. "I think anyone that saw it saw how sudden it was, how violent it was, the difference in age. This shouldn't happen to anybody, but certainly our seniors."
CBS3 reached out to the Parks and Recreation Department to see if they will be stepping up security in the wake of this incident, but have not heard back yet.
If you have any information about this crime or suspect, call police at 215-686-3243/3244.
CBS3's Howard Monroe and Natasha Brown contributed to this report.
