Help: Grandpa Badly Beaten Trying To Stop New York Gang Assault

Police are asking for help as they look for five people who beat up a grandfather who was trying to help an assault victim in broad daylight.

The NYPD has released photos of the five who they say are all gang members. The grandfather has ties to the Hudson Valley.

Good Samaritan Beaten And Left With Broken Bones After Stepping In To Stop Brutal Times Square Attack

Elaina Vasile Nelson

A 60-year-old electrical union foreman is recovering from serious injuries after he tried to stop a brutal group assault in Times Square last Friday morning and ended up becoming the next victim.

Anthony Vasile, a father of two and grandfather, was walking to work around 6 a.m. on July 17 when he witnessed about five men violently attacking another person near West 46th Street and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

The group was repeatedly punching and stomping on the victim while he lay on the ground. Vasile stepped in and told the attackers to stop.

Elaina Vasile Nelson

One of them spat on him and then punched him in the face. The group then turned back to the original victim, continuing to stomp on his head while he was seemingly unconscious.

Seeing no one else trying to help, Vasile stepped in a second time. The group then turned their attention to him.

Grandpa Attacked

Elaina Vasile Nelson

The attackers punched, kicked, and dragged Vasile into oncoming traffic. Another passerby eventually pulled him to safety.

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Vasile was later diagnosed with a broken eye socket, a broken nose, and multiple broken ribs. The NYPD's Crime Stoppers unit lists the injuries as two broken eye sockets.

"I stepped in because nobody else was helping," Vasile said. "If that were one of my kids lying there, I'd hope someone would do the same."

The original victim was transported from the scene by ambulance.

His Family Wants Answers After Security Guards Stood By And Watched

Elaina Vasile Nelson

According to Vasile and witnesses, two Times Square security personnel were present at the scene the entire time and never intervened. It then took more than 15 minutes for NYPD officers to arrive, despite the incident occurring in one of the most heavily monitored and heavily trafficked areas in the entire world.

His family told Hudson Valley Post they want to know why two security personnel stood nearby without helping. Or, why did it take more than 15 minutes for police to respond in the heart of Times Square? And how does someone who risks his life to protect a stranger end up beaten, broken, and dragged into traffic with no one coming to his aid?

Police Are Looking For The Attackers

The NYPD has classified this as a "gang assault" and is actively seeking the five unidentified individuals involved. All five fled the scene on foot.

NYPD

The NYPD shared their photos in hopes someone can help identify them.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X at @NYPDTips. All tips can remain anonymous.