Exclusive: Men Sought After Beating Grandfather Volunteering At Bronx Church
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Bronx grandfather volunteering at a church in the West Farms section was attacked at random, sending him to the hospital with gashes on his body and the suspects still on the loose.
CBS2's Reena Roy spoke with the victim in an exclusive interview.
Diogone Guerrero, 56, was on the verge of tears while explaining how he's still shaken up, showing fresh scars all over his body.
From his forehead down to his knee, police say had to get stitches at the hospital after two men attacked him a week and half ago.
He was volunteering at the Grace Church Food Pantry at 1909 Vyse Avenue when police say the suspects punched and hit him with a metal pushcart.
"Screaming, fighting, fighting somebody's fighting," recalls the victim's son-in-law Juan Reynoso. "All of a sudden I have to come out, I see two guys – one is hitting from front, other from back."
Renoso was also volunteering inside and ran out to help fight off the attackers.
"They hit him, he fell, landed on floor and I started pushing them away," he said. "Everybody was actually shocked."
Guerrero says the two men approached him around 11 a.m. asking for food from the pantry, after which they became upset and the fight ensued.
Afterwards the suspects ran off without a word, and Guerrero was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital where he received stitches to his head.
The family says they will not let this incident scare them from coming to the church and giving back to the neighborhood.
"I walk around and look back all the time," said Reynoso. "I don't know if they'll come back… We not afraid at same time we're just being careful
The first attacker is described as about 25-year-old, 6-foot with a thin build, last seen wearing a burgundy hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
The second man is also about 25-years-old, 5-foot 9-inches, medium build and last seen wearing a black jacket with white lettering and blue jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or by going to the CrimeStoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
