Sirens, lights, police Getty Images
BY JASON COHEN
A physical therapist was attacked
last week and left with
a fractured nose on her way to
visit her home bound patient
in the south Bronx.
According to an incident
report fi led with the 40th Precinct,
the alleged assault occurred
on May 11, at 601 Morris
Avenue between the hours
of 1:50 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.
The Filipina woman, 29, is
a physical therapist who works
for Rebekah Rehab Extended
Care Center in Castle Hill.
Jacqueline Odino, director of
patient services at Rebekah,
spoke to the Bronx Times about
what her employee endured.
Odino, who has been with
Rebekah Rehab for four years,
said nothing like this has ever
happened.
“We need attention brought
to this case in order to help
protect these workers,” Odino
said. “To ensure their work
continues. To make sure that
they will not be afraid to go to
their next assignment, and of
course, to make sure the patients
who need their services,
get their services.
This attack affects both the
young woman who was traumatized
and the community
she serves.
The cause of the attack is
unknown, was it because she
is of Asian descent? Was the attacker
mentally unstable?”
Odino explained that upon
arriving at the apartment
building the physical therapist
was buzzed in, but the attacker
walked in behind her. From
that moment she sensed something
was off.
Once inside, the physical
therapist tried to elude the
woman.
“She realized the lady was
following her and hoped she
would go in the opposite direction,”
Odino stated.
But when she turned
around the alleged attacker
was right there and allegedly
grabbed her by the hair and
punched her three times in the
face breaking her nose.
BRONX TIMES R 10 EPORTER, MAY 21-27, 2021 BTR
Then hoping to fi nd safety
and or help, she fl ed to the
laundry room, where she told
a woman someone was attacking
her and instead of being a
good Samaritan the lady said
“take it outside.”
“When she tried to leave
the building the attacker went
at her again and that’s when
she screamed help me,” Odino
said.
After that the assailant fl ed
the scene.
Odino stressed that physical
therapists are always vulnerable
in the fi eld, but now
many are afraid to come to
work.
The suspect is described as
a female, Black, last seen wearing
a light blue jacket and blue
sneakers. This has not been
deemed a bias incident. The investigation
is ongoing.
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Cops in Brooklyn and
the Bronx were busy again
responding to a spate of
shootings between Tuesday
afternoon and Wednesday
morning that left a
man dead and four others
injured.
In the Bronx, two men
were shot — one fatally —
inside an apartment building
in the Bronx early on
Wednesday morning.
Police said the deadly
shooting happened at about
4:53 a.m. on May 12 at 65
Featherbed Lane in Morris
Heights. Sources familiar
with the investigation said
the location is known to
the NYPD for previous reports
about squatting and
alleged drug dealing.
According to law enforcement
sources, the
shooter approached the two
male victims, ages 21 and
61, and opened fire on them
before f leeing the scene.
Offi cers from the 46th Precinct,
in responding to a 911
call about the gunfi re, found
the 21-year-old man shot in
the head and the 61-year-old
man with a gunshot wound
to his stomach.
EMS rushed the 21-yearold
man to BronxCare Health
System, where he died a
short time later. Police have
withheld his identity, pending
family notifi cation.
The 61-year-old victim,
meanwhile, remains hospitalized
in stable condition
at St. Barnabas Hospital, authorities
said.
Detectives are continuing
to search for the gunman,
who’s described as a man
wearing dark clothing.
Meanwhile, detectives in
Brooklyn are looking for the
shooter who pulled the trigger
on a 16-year-old boy and
injured him during an alleged
gang-related fi ght in
Brownsville on Tuesday afternoon.
The confrontation occurred
at the corner of Dean
Street and Saratoga Avenue
in Brownsville at about 5
p.m. on May 11. After the
victim and group members
exchanged words, police
sources said, one of the perpetrators
pulled out a gun
and opened fi re, striking the
teenager in the left leg.
Sources familiar with
the investigation said the injured
victim ran away from
the scene and traveled about
four blocks before fi nally
collapsing onto a parked sedan
at the corner of Ralph
and Prospect Avenues.
Offi cers from the 73rd and
77th Precincts responded to
the shooting. They discovered
the victim after following
a trail of blood on the
sidewalk.
EMS units rushed the victim
to Kings County Hospital
for treatment of injuries
that were not considered
life-threatening.
So far, no arrests have
been made in the ongoing investigation.
Uncooperative victims
Later, police reported two
other shooting incidents in
Brooklyn’s 67th Precinct —
both of which involved victims
who refused to cooperate
with detectives, law
enforcement sources said.
According to police, a
26-year-old man was shot
in the stomach and left arm
in front of 1440 Utica Ave.
in Flatlands at about 11:54
p.m. on May 11. He was
brought via private means to
Brookdale University Hospital
for treatment of his injuries.
Later, at about 3:47 a.m.
on May 12, a 29-year-old
man walked into Brookdale
Hospital’s emergency room
with a gunshot wound to his
groin. The injury is not lifethreatening,
police sources
said.
However, police noted,
both victims refused to provide
detectives with details
about the events leading up
to both shootings. No arrests
have been made in either
case.
Anyone with information
regarding any
of the shootings can call
Crime Stoppers at 800-577-
TIPS (for Spanish, dial
888-57-PISTA). You can
also submit tips online at
nypdcrimestoppers.com.
Bronx health care professional
attacked en route to visit
home bound patient
Man slain in
the Bronx:
NYPD
/nypdcrimestoppers.com