Exclusive: Victim Of Vicious Assault On Bronx MTA Bus Recounts Harrowing Ordeal
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Bronx man is speaking out after being beaten by a stranger on a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus.
He lost multiple teeth in the attack and that suspect is still on the loose.
Dion Strickland is still trying to wrap his head around what happened to him earlier this month.
"I had a laceration right here. I had stitches here and lost about five teeth right here," the 55-year-told CBS2's Reena Roy exclusively on Monday, describing the damage done to his face.
MORE: Police: Man Loses 8 Teeth After Being Repeatedly Punched By Bus Passenger
The Bronx man said he was coming home from a long day at work on July 2 when he was suddenly attacked on the BX36 bus at around 11 p.m. near Easy 180th Street and 3rd Avenue. He said the suspect, who was captured on surveillance video, bumped into him at random and then hit him in the face repeatedly.
"I said, 'Sorry.' Then all of a sudden, pow!" Strickland said. "I blacked out for a second. That first punch blacked me out."
Even though Strickland was out of it and in a lot of pain he was able to walk from the bus stop to Saint Barnabas Hospital a few blocks away with the help of some good Samaritans.
"I was a little dazed and two passengers helped me off the bus," Strickland said. "I wasn't thinking at all. I was like, 'Just take care of me, please.'"
Police said the suspect ran off the bus with a group of friends. Since then, cops have been on the hunt.
"I'm very angry. Of course, everybody would be very angry about it. I want him off the streets, period," Strickland said.
Those few moments of violence have turned into a lifelong ordeal. Strickland said he may need more of his loose teeth pulled, and will have to wear dentures moving forward.
"You can't do this to someone like this and get away with it. No way," he said.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782. Tips can also be sent to the NYPDTips Twitter account or submitted online at NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.
