A 55-year-old man who was brutally beaten outside a Dyker Heights deli last week has died from his injuries, the NYPD announced on Wednesday morning.
Dyker Heights resident John Sarquiz was attacked outside the Dean Mini Market on 13th Avenue on March 29, according to police. When officers arrived on the scene in response to a 911 call, they found Sarquiz unconscious on the sidewalk with head trauma.
Emergency responders brought Sarquiz to NYU Langone Hospital, where he remained hospitalized until he passed away on April 3. The exact cause of death has yet to be determined by the medical examiner, but cops have reclassified the case as a homicide.
According to the New York Post, the assailant — who has yet to be identified — also robbed Sarquiz of his money and jewelry before fleeing the scene. The victim’s sister, Christina, told the Post Sarquiz never regained consciousness after the attack, and the family took him off life support on Monday.
Cops said the investigation of the incident is ongoing, and that no arrests have been made.
Robbery and felony assault are both up in the 68th Precinct — which includes Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge — compared to this time last year, according to NYPD data. As of April 2, there have been 24 robberies and 34 felony assaults in the precinct, and burglary is also up. The rate of murders has remained flat, with one murder recorded so far in 2023.
