Ray Álvarez, a well-known 90-year-old small businessman who owns a candy store in the East Village of Manhattan (NYC), was able to return to work yesterday, after being beaten by a man who is still on the run.
According to his testimony, the attacker was a man who was selling two boxes of mineral water outside his “Ray’s Candy” store, open for 49 years, in 1974. The assault left Álvarez with a black left eye and a wound over his ear. left.
“He took something that looked like a belt with a stone on it and hit me on the head. I fell to the ground outside, I was bleeding and bleeding, ”she narrated to the Daily News. The attacker was accompanied by another man. “I had never seen them before,” Álvarez said. “The tall guy who hit me was Latino.”
Early Tuesday morning, Alvarez had left her store for some fresh air on Avenue A near East 7th St. before two men approached her. The violence started almost immediately, he said.
Employee and witness Gabe Thorne said the two assailants were trying to sell Álvarez the mineral water when things escalated and one of the assailants asked, “Do you believe in Satan?”
“Ray didn’t really know what he was talking about,” Thorne said. “And the guy was really weird… It was crazy on another level.”
Several residents came by yesterday to check on her condition after the unprovoked attack. Instead of complaining, he smiled as they offered support and greeted him. “I was very upset, but I came back,” he said. “I had to do my job. I got back before 9 am the next day. He had an ice cream delivery and he had a lot of things to do.”
Álvarez says the brutal assault did nothing to change his feelings about the city: “I still love New York. I love the United States and I love New York ”, he reiterated.
It’s not the first time the neighborhood has come to the aid of their favorite local businessman. A recent GoFundMe campaign raised more than $50,000 to keep the store open, and a mural depicting Álvarez was unveiled on January 1 for his 90th birthday.
Yesterday the New York police released surveillance footage of one of the suspects and asked for the public’s help in identifying him. Anyone with information should call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) and in Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Also through crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by text to 274637 (CRIMES), followed by TIP577. All communications are strictly confidential.
In recent weeks there has been a spate of attacks and violent robberies at New York stores. NYPD has warned since last year about the growing insecurity in businesses and warehouses. Many owners have opted to reduce hours and lock up merchandise in the face of a rise in thefts at stores, pharmacies and bodegas, including deadly attacks on employees and customers.