The incident occurred right outside the Henry Neufeld Playground in Riverside Park. Photo by Flickr user Tzuhsun Hsu
On Thursday, an Upper West Side mom took to social networking site Nextdoor to warn neighbors about a disturbing incident which took place right outside of the Henry Neufeld Playground in Riverside Park at West 76th Street. She said it happened at about 11:30 a.m.
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“…a man just chased after my two-year-old son trying to hit him and saying he hates kids and that the kids need to get out of here. If my mother [hadn’t] intervened and ran away carrying my son he would have hit him.”
“My son was hysterical and terrified.”
The mom went on to say that the police were called but since her son wasn’t actually hit, there was nothing they could do – outside of trying to find him to “talk to him about it” – which lit up the comments section with frustration.
“The man appeared to be living in the park so there is a high possibility this will happen again to another child. Description- tall thin black male wearing a white shirt.” The woman also told us he appeared to be in his 50s or 60s.
Several people in the comments section seemed to be familiar with the man being described.
“I think I saw that same man ranting a week or two ago, screaming nonsense at park-goers,” one person chimed in.
“Omg, this is horrific, this should not be happening. A neighbor said she saw a man fitting this description yelling at a woman with a stroller yesterday [in] about the same area,” said another user.
Whatever happened to the mayor’s whole “we’ll get homeless people off the streets and into psychiatric care if they’re a danger to themselves or others” thing? Here you have a guy living in the park and lunging at 2-year-olds and the police shrug?
What happened? They instituted highly effective (think: 5% effective) outreach teams to do the job and further incentivize the police to not get involved.
A young woman pushed in front of a train before her Saturday brunch didn’t get them to do anything. We’ll have to look forward to the grotesque news of a 2-yr-old getting their throat slashed in a park to maybe, just maybe, get someone off their asses?
Mayor Adams is a disgrace. He’s just as bad as DeBlasio.
I am positive this is a guy who lives under the highway near pier I. He actually did hit my sister. She is an adult accomplish martial Artist and retired stunt woman. This person is scary and dangerous. She did not retaliate , not even yell. I did! He barely flinched. We had 2 big dogs with us too. The police took over 15 minutes to respond and we had to leave before we could file a report.
A week later the same person came running toward a small framed woman screaming and looked like he would touch her when I yelled she ran past me and he ran toward me. This time I put my dogs in-between us and he ran back up the grass to riverside blvd around 70 st.
Do not understand why police would not want to get information to see if this person is linked to prior crimes. This would help locate people’s who have committed prior crimes in the past.
I was threatened with a gum several years ago but since “no crime was actually committed “ no report was taken.
The problems of unhoused, mentally ill people is a national problem. It needs to be addressed on that level, as well as on the state and city level. Many of the (Mis) leaders of this country since Ronald Reagan have created this onslaught through economic policies that have de-industrialized this country and continually shredded the fabric of social services.
The homeless are victims; it is true–but so are we. One way or the other these people must be removed from the streets. Yes, institutionalization. Some of them will face that at any rate–prison for acts committed in the throes of psychosis.
To see people lying about half-undressed, soiled, ranting, raving is an assault on our humanity. It is a quality-of- life issue but it also makes me question my own compassion for I am enraged at the specter of such folks who are dying on the streets, in the parks, in the subways all around us.
We must demand that our representatives deal with this.
This letter is becoming a crapsheet of bad things. We get enough in our local news. I will erase it from my inbox if this continues.
Poor you.
I say it’s nice to keep abreast (nothing to do with that breast grabber article) of what’s happening locally reported afresh and updated regularly. Why, I reckon these reports aid in both avoiding and capturing the instigators of these local crimes- I haven’t been to the “C” train since I read the story about the breast grabber- who wants their Texas breast twisted?- and I’m just about to take my 2 year old for a spin in the park, the child’s been shrieking holy heck all day!
You might enjoy a Tum’s?
You should ask for your money back.
2 year olds… “terrible two’s”, there’ve been many a time when I wished somebody’d smack mine. Where’d ya say this guy hangs out?
It’s more than obvious that the progressive liberals staring with little willie deblasio and his funky wife and continuing with adams are intent on destroying the quality of life here in NYC. Why deranged people are allowed to walk the streets threatening innocent citizens and children is way beyond me. And it won’t stop until a tragedy occurs.
We need to vote these anti law and order people out of office. We need the restoration of civility and respect. We need safety and security. And we need it NOW!
Yo Woke!
Back ta yer Holler.
Back ta yer Double Wide
This town just ain’t big enough
You Fascists better run and hide!
Yeah Yo Ok Sho
Ok yeah yeah Sho