Exclusive: New Jersey Man Victim Of Baseball Bat Attack In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A brutal bat attack was caught on camera in Brooklyn.
And as the victim recovers in the hospital, police are searching for the suspects, CBS2's Cory James reported Monday.
Chayanne De La Cruz is in a hospital bed with a fractured eye, busted lip, and eight stitches, along with staples in his head.
The 34-year-old's face was bloodied and bruised following the attack in Sunset Park.
Surveillance cameras were rolling as the assault unfolded on 34th Street and 4th Avenue at around 5 a.m. on Saturday.
"I was walking with my friend," De La Cruz said.
Visiting from New Jersey, De La Cruz said he was heading to that friend's apartment to get some rest after they both finished a video game competition at an arcade about a mile and half away.
But during their 30-minute walk home, a group of people suddenly appeared by a van.
"I heard some noises and I hold my bag and my bike very strong. They used a baseball bat to beat me up. My friend who was with me, he covered his head with hands," De La Cruz said.
James spoke with that friend over the phone. He said he was too shaken up to meet in person.
"Everything happened in a flash and they took our wallets and his bike," the friend said. "I don't feel emotionally strong right now."
The NYPD said it is looking for four suspects who used a bat and stick to attack the victims before leaving with about $350 and personal items.
It was a brutal crime that is all too familiar in New York City.
The latest numbers showing there have been 1,239 more felony assaults than at this time last year.
"I'll never be around this area anymore. I don't even know the streets," De La Cruz said, adding he thinks the attack was complete random.
Investigators are hoping anyone with information about the attackers in the video will contact them. That would be a small step towards justice for this injured father, who will spend his birthday recovering in the hospital.
