CBS2 Exclusive: Elderly Woman Injured In Assault Outside Washington Heights Apartment
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Washington Heights woman is recovering in the hospital after being assaulted outside of her home -- and it was all caught on video.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, surveillance video shows the 96-year-old woman as she's violently pushed to the ground.
Flomena Vargas is now in the hospital, where her son said she's suffering with a broken hip and needs surgery in the next few days.
The incident happened on Monday at the Washington Heights apartment building near Nagle Avenue and Arden Street.
In the video, you see Vargas walk to the front door with her cane. She steps just outside the door and appears to say something to 24-year-old Hansel Ramirez, who is sitting outside on the stoop.
Ramirez tries to come inside and Vargas raises her cane to stop him, Castro reported. It's unclear exactly what the disagreement is about, but Vargas appears to try to shut the door on Ramirez, who blocks it with his foot.
Then, she begins to poke him with her cane. That's when Ramirez flings open the door and pushes the woman to the ground, Castro reported.
Vargas' son, seen in the red shirt, quickly runs to the building and tells Ramirez he's going to call police.
Juana Martinez is the woman seen in the video in the grey shirt and orange pants. She holds the door open for paramedics while they wheel Vargas out.
She said everyone in the building refers to Vargas as "grandma."
"It's sad. I'm feeling sad about her because she's nice," she said.
Others say they're shocked to hear that Vargas was assaulted.
"She's from the neighborhood. She's like mother of everybody and that's just crazy. I can't believe somebody would do that," said one neighbor.
Ramirez does not live in the building, but was there to visit a friend, Castro reported. He's been charged with second-degree assault.
