The victim remained in the hospital in critical but stable condition with a brain hemorrhage.
Police are searching for a New York man who punched a 69-year-old woman without warning, knocking her unconscious and sending her to the hospital, officials said.
The elderly woman was walking down a Queens sidewalk when the suspect, identified by cops as 28-year-old Richard ‘Kwasi’ Springer, came barreling out of the Sutphin King Deli at 107-60 Sutphin Blvd. at about 8 a.m. Saturday.
Springer had stumbled into the store looking to buy a $3.50 Bud Light Straw-Ber-Rita, but only had $1, store clerk Methaq Algabyali told InsideEdition.com.
“He wanted to take the beer,” he said.
As Springer fought with Algabyali over the alcohol, the victim — identified by a police source as Eve Gentillon — told him to stop, he said.
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Instead, Springer charged at the unsuspecting woman and slugged her in the face, knocking her unconscious, cops said.
“He punched the lady for no reason,” Algabyali, 18, said. “He wanted to fight.”
Gentillon was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where she remained on Tuesday in critical but stable condition, police said.
Sources said she suffered a brain hemorrhage.
“When I saw her, I think she died,” Algabyali said, saying he thought what Springer did was stupid.
Springer, who lives about three blocks away from the deli, has caused trouble in the store before, but never to this extent, Algabyali said.
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“He’s a regular customer here,” he said. “Sometimes when he drink(s), he causes problems.”
Springer is described as about 5-foot-11, weighing 175 pounds with brown eyes and black hair in corn rows, cops said.
He has a tattoo of the word “Emily” on his right arm and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, blue jeans and black boots.
Anyone with information about Springer’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
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