Disturbing Video Shows Confrontation Between Bikers, SUV In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A driver of a sport utility vehicle was injured Sunday after he was attacked by a group of motorcyclists in Manhattan, police said.
A more than six-minute video of the disturbing confrontation was posted on YouTube on Monday morning. It appeared to be taken from a camera mounted on a biker's helmet.
Disturbing Video Shows Confrontation Between Bikers, SUV In NYC
The video starts with dozens of bikers seen speeding up to a Range Rover on the Henry Hudson Parkway. One of the bikers can be seen slowing down after pulling in front of the car.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the SUV then accidentally hit the motorcycle. Then, about 30 seconds into the video, the bikes all come to a complete stop on the highway, surrounding the Range Rover.
Watch The Full Video Below: WARNING -- GRAPHIC IMAGES
That's when an unidentified biker can be seen getting off his bike and walking toward the SUV as the other motorcyclists look on.
"They take their helmets and they start to dent his car, and apparently his tires are slashed there," Kelly said.
The SUV then hits the gas, plowing over three motorcyclists and leaving one of the bikers with a broken leg.
For the next couple of minutes in the video, the bikers are seen chasing the Range Rover through Manhattan until about the 4:50 mark, when traffic forces the car to slow down.
That's when a biker can be seen running up to the SUV and yanking open the driver's side door as the driver of the Range Rover again guns the engine in an attempt to get away, knocking over a bike as it speeds off.
The bikers give chase again as the Range Rover heads into Washington Heights.
The video ends when the SUV gets stuck in traffic on 178th Street. As the group of bikers surround the Range Rover once again, one of the riders can be seen jumping off his bike, ripping off his helmet and using it to bash in the driver's side window.
A second biker can also be seen running up and hitting the driver's side rear window with his fists.
"He's taken out of the car, he is assaulted," Kelly said of the driver.
Police said the driver of the SUV, 33-year-old Alexian Lien, had his wife and infant daughter inside the car at the time of the incident. The driver had called 911 to report the bikers were driving erratically, police said.
Lien was taken to Columbia Presbyterian where he received stitches for cuts to his face and was released, police said. He will not face any charges, authorities said.
"One of the bicyclists, he got off his bike, and he started attacking the person in the Range Rover with his helmet, breaking the windows," witness Christopher Quinones told CBS 2's Jessica Schneider. "And after they got him out of his car, they beat him up."
Those who watched the video were appalled.
"To me, they've assaulted this gentleman. That's criminal," said Stim Schantz, of Battery Park City, said after Schneider played the video for him.
According to the user who posted the video online, the bikers were participating in an annual street ride in the city.
Kelly said it was similar to an event that was held last year with dozens of bikers, who call themselves "Hollywood Stunts," converging on Times Square.
"This is a major stunt event where motorcyclists from various locations come together. Their ultimate goal is to get into Times Square, which they did last year," Kelly said, "Quite frankly it wasn't on anybody's radar screen last year. We were aware of it this year."
In order to prevent the group from heading into Midtown this year, police set up checkpoints throughout the city. Kelly said during that effort, 15 arrests were made, 68 summonses were issues and 55 motorcycles were confiscated. No arrests, however, have been made in connection with the attack on Lien.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
