73-Year-Old Woman Says She Was Attacked In Front Of Port Authority Personnel, But No One Came To Her Aid
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A 73-year-old woman was attacked near the Port Authority in Manhattan, and she said even with witnesses, no one stepped in to help.
But on Tuesday night, police said they may have a lead on that suspect, CBS2's Ali Bauman reported.
"I mean, there's a lot of people there. You wouldn't think one would be attacked," victim Judy Schwartz said.
Schwartz is recovering after suffering bruises to her eye and arm, and a fractured finger. At around 2 p.m. on July 4 she was walking on Eighth Avenue near the Port Authority when she noticed a strange woman following close.
"I walked forward three steps; she walked forward three steps and stopped. I walked backward three steps; she walked backward three steps and stopped," Schwartz said.
Police released surveillance photos of the woman who Schwartz said then lunged at her.
"She started hitting me with one hand and with the other hand she was going around trying to unclasp my fanny pack, saying, 'I want that. I want that,'" Schwartz said.
The victim said the woman rummaged through her fanny pack, throwing her rubber gloves to the side, and then tossed the whole bag when she didn't find anything valuable. Schwartz said this happened while authorities stood idly by.
"She took it as three Port Authority personnel came across the street, because I was screaming my head off. And she was not apprehended. She walked away," Schwartz said.
Fast forward three weeks to Tuesday morning. Police arrested a woman around the corner who they saw wielding a hammer and banging it against a light pole on the street. Sources told Bauman that woman is now being questioned in connection to Schwartz's attack.
"You'd think it is safe, there's so many people there," Schwartz said.
A Port Authority Police spokesman told Bauman they're not aware of the incident and have no information on it.
Schwartz said she's now avoiding the area for the time being.