Police are on the hunt for a moped driver who mowed down a man in Midtown on Tuesday before brutally beating both him and his friend, authorities said.
According to police sources, the incident unfolded outside of Ruby’s Bar and Grill, near the corner of West 44th Street and 9th Avenue, at around 2:40 a.m. on July 23.
Cops say that a man was riding a moped on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant when he drove into a 56-year-old man. The victim became enraged and became embroiled in a shouting match with the suspect.
The words turned violent, cops said, when the moped writer punched the victim, leaving him unconscious on the street.
Seeing the attack, police reported, the victim’s 38-year-old friend attempted to intervene, but was also assaulted for his trouble. Law enforcement sources say he was punched so hard that he was knocked unconscious before hitting his head on the ground.
Both victims, authorities said, suffered head trauma. The 56-year-old man was rushed to Mount Sinai West Hospital in stable condition, while the 38-year-old was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition.
Cops are looking for a man last seen wearing a black bike helmet, a white shirt, and black pants riding what appears to be a blue moped. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
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