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Woman, 83, Fights Back Against Robbers In Bronx Building

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An 83-year-old Bronx woman came face-to-face with muggers this week, but she didn't back down.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, Marion Winters of the Tremont section decided to fight back when the robbers tried to intimidate her in her Longfellow Avenue building.

"(They said), 'Give me your pocketbook. I said, 'What did you say?' He said, 'Give me your pocketbook,'" Winters said.

Winters uses a cane for walking. She also used it around 5:50 p.m. Tuesday against robbers who followed her into her building.

"I said, 'You want my pocketbook?' And I took the cane off my arm like this. I said, 'Here, you can have it,': Winters said. "I don't know if I hit him, but I went to hit him with this cane, and then I fell back."

Winters said the attack happened in the front foyer just as she was about to buzz herself inside. She fell on a short flight of three steps.

"Busted my head open – I got 15 stitches; staples up there," she said.

She said the men ran off once they saw someone about to enter the building.

Police released a surveillance video of the two men believed to be involved. They said one stood as a lookout while the other went after her.

Police released additional surveillance Thursday evening.

Winters' grandson, Marquis Johnson, was not surprised by how she fought back.

"That's the fight that my grandmother had every day," Johnson said. "And that's where we get our strength from."

Due to her strength, Winters said the man who went after her is lucky she did not land a blow.

"If I would have hit him, I would have hurt him," she said.

The family was hoping someone would recognize the suspects from the video.

"I hope they catch them and put them away where they belong," Winters said. "They should be in school; working."

Winters believes the suspects were in their early 20s.

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, log onto the Crime Stoppers website, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.

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