Caught On Camera: Pizza Deliveryman Stabbed, Robbed On Brooklyn Street
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Alarming video shows a violent attack in Brooklyn.
Police say a group of men ambushed and assaulted a pizza delivery worker, stealing everything, including his bike.
CBS2's Kevin Rincon spoke with the man, who says he's now afraid to go back to work.
Esvin Cruz came to drop off a delivery around 4:30 a.m. Saturday on Walton Street between Union and Marcy avenues in Williamsburg when he was stabbed in both legs and robbed.
Visibly upset, Cruz, speaking through a translator, said the attack the felt to him like a setup. He said one of the suspects turned to him and said "give me everything or I'll kill you."
Police released surveillance video of the attack, which shows Cruz being thrown to the ground while the men take his bike.
Rincon showed Cruz a photo of the suspect, who he recognized immediately. He then showed Rincon where he was stabbed.
Cruz said after the attack, he walked about a mile back to Ganni's Pizza.
"He's a good person," one coworker said. "I feel bad, because it's not right. I heard that he was desperate, you know. He was desperate. He got here, he just want to go home, then my boss come 'Wait, let's call an ambulance.'"
As for neighbors back at the scene on Walton Street, some say this sort of thing has been happening all the more often.
"Every couple days it happens. There are a lot of assaults over here," one person said.
"Has this been a growing problem in this community?" Rincon asked.
"Yes, it is growing and growing, every day," he said.
"How long have you lived here?" Rincon asked.
"I'm here 30 years," he said.
Cruz told Rincon he wasn't sure if he would return to work.
Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting 274637.