Police say a 69-year-old grandmother was standing outside a Queens deli last year when she was suddenly sucker punched by a man who police thankfully identified nearly 2-weeks after the alleged brutal attack. The story does not have a totally happy ending, however. The victim of the brutal assault, Eve Gentillon, passed away nearly four months later, over this past weekend. NYPD investigators are telling local news outlets that Gentillon’s death was a result of complications from the assault last October.
NBC New York is now reporting the man charged with striking Gentillon, Richard Springer, 29, was initially arrested in the weeks after the original incident. NYPD investigators have now upgraded the charges against Springer to murder.
According to the report, Gentillon suffered serious head injuries and the video of the incident appears to show that she collapsed to the ground almost immediately after a punch, unable to defend herself or break her fall. Cops says Gentillon immediately fled the scene in a stolen car.
Prior to the alleged attack on the grandmother, sources inside the deli said Gentillon was already attempting to start a fight with individuals inside deli and stormed out in a rage, before allegedly striking Gentillon. At the time of the original story about the apparently attack, police said the grandmother was suffering serious head injuries as a result of blows she sustained.
There is no word on when Springer is expected to make his first appearance before a judge.
[image via screengrab]
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]