NYC Local News: Attacker Punches, Knocks Man to the Ground on Upper East Side

Cops Looking for Motive in Senseless Upper East Side Attack 

By Dan Gesslein 

Manhattan Voice 

November 25, 2025 

NYC LOCAL NEWS - An Upper East Side man is recovering after being knocked to the ground during an apparently random attack as cops try to find a motive. 

At around 9:40 am on November 24, a 67-year-old man was walking in the vicinity of Lexington Avenue and East 87th Street. Cops said a man dressed in black ran up to him and, without warning, punched the senior in the face, knocking him to the ground. The attacker then grabbed the victim’s cellphone threw it to the ground and stomped on it several times until it broke. The attacker then ran off heading south on Lexington Avenue. 

The victim suffered swelling and bruising but no life-threatening injuries. 

The NYPD released surveillance video of the suspect. He is described as a male with a dark complexion, black hair and a beard. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black sneakers.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.