NEW YORK (PIX11) — The NYPD has reported a concerning spike in assaults against the elderly.
In the heart of Midtown, a 68-year-old woman became a victim of a random attack as she was pushed to the ground by a stranger near West 38th Street and Sixth Avenue on Tuesday, according to police.
Officials said the woman is expected to be okay, but what happened to her came amid a citywide trend.
“It’s frightening,” a woman told PIX11 News. “There’s something that somebody has to do about it.”
Assaults against seniors are up around six percent so far in 2025 as compared to the previous year, according to the NYPD. The reality can weigh heavily on the minds of seniors in the city.
“I don’t talk on the phone while walking, and I try to be cognisant of what’s going on around me,” the woman added.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
From random punches to muggings and more, the elderly are being targeted at a higher rate in 2025.
“That’s real sad,” one man said. “That senior citizens are getting attacked by, you know, younger people taking advantage of older people. It’s not right.”
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
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