Tailor Out Of The Hospital After Violent Robbery Inside Manhattan Shop

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- He was beaten, stabbed, and robbed for just $80.

On Friday, a Manhattan tailor was back at home, and telling the story of how he survived.

As CBS2's Jessica Layton reported, Apel Tamagoglu has been receiving non-stop visits from friends and neighbors.

The tailor was exhausted and badly beat up.

"I like the people," he said.

In fact, the 78-year-old is embracing the company of those who care, knowing he's lucky to be here.

"He came with knife, he hit me," he said.

He said he was sewing in the corner of the shop he's owned since 1975 on Monday, when a man stormed in with a knife.

"He ask, 'money, money, money" he said, "He started to hit me, hit me, hit me, I hit back. I defended myself, otherwise he kill me."

The battle left Tamagoglu with serious stab wounds to his face, hands and chest. They're all bandaged and stitched, but his spirit was untouched.

"I'm not scared, I'm not scared," he said.

Police arrested John Franklyn -- a resident at the nearby Bellevue Men's Homeless Shelter. As CBS2 has reported numerous times, the shelter has been plagued with problems and caused concern in the community for years.

"The community is fed up, this has happened multiple times," resident Lauren Pohl said.

The 53-year-old Franklyn had a lengthy criminal rap sheet before the attack that left Tamagoglu and his tailor shop covered in blood. Turns out, Franklyn was on parole and was released from prison a month ago for a 2003 attempted robbery and assault.

"Violent felons come into the community, go into shelter and commit the same crimes again," Pohl said. "There doesn't seem to be any kind of screening or coordination with the local authorities."

Parents like Pohl say that's got to change, and now, for the sake of their community and people like Tamagoglu.

The shop is clean, but closed until he is well enough to get back to doing a living doing what he loves.