A career criminal who was out on parole has been apprehended for a heartless attack on a 91-year-old man during a botched robbery on the Upper East Side, leaving the victim hospitalized, according to authorities. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Christian Torres, was taken into custody in East Harlem by vigilant patrol officers who recognized him from a "Wanted" poster related to the February 1st incident, as reported by the NYPD.

The alleged assailant is accused of callously shoving Hyman Silverglad to the ground on East 86th Street near First Avenue in a brazen daylight attack. Despite Silverglad's cries for help, Torres fled the scene empty-handed. The attack resulted in Silverglad sustaining six bone fractures and another fracture at the bottom of his spine. Police have stated that Torres, who has a history of multiple prior arrests, now faces charges of attempted robbery in connection with this incident.

Police reports indicate that the assault occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m., as Torres aggressively approached Silverglad and allegedly unleashed a barrage of punches in an attempt to steal the nonagenarian's wallet. However, the elderly victim courageously fought back and raised the alarm, causing the assailant to flee, as confirmed by Silverglad and law enforcement officials. Speaking from his hospital bed, Silverglad, who is currently battling cancer and kidney failure, expressed his frustration, stating, "I cough and I'm almost dead. I tell you if I was young, I would run after this mother-freaker and beat the shoot out of him and kick his ass, and he'll forget being a criminal."

Silverglad further shared that the incident occurred as he was returning home from a grocery store, and despite his cries for help, no one came to his aid. "You think I was hit by a mortar shell on a battlefield. It was so agonizing. No one stopped. No one even looked at me," he lamented, expressing disappointment in the lack of assistance he received from passersby. Fortunately, three kind-hearted women ultimately came to his aid, assisting him back to his apartment building.

Devastated by the incident, Silverglad voiced concerns about the state of safety in New York City, stating, "New York City has morphed into a jungle. Since my assault, I'm thinking of moving from New York City to a safe place," and mentioned Texas or Israel as potential safer destinations. He also emphasized his belief that those over the age of 65 are not safe in the city, highlighting concerns about his own vulnerability as a result of his health issues.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that this was not Torres' first attempted robbery. He had previously been incarcerated from January 2022 to April 2023 for a Bronx conviction on the same charge. At the time of the alleged assault on Silverglad, Torres was on post-supervision release. Additionally, Torres has previous convictions, including a stint in prison from 2005 to 2008 for a criminal sale of a controlled substance charge in Brooklyn. His earliest prison sentence dates back to 1998, stemming from an arson and robbery conviction in the Bronx.

The apprehension of Torres serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by the criminal justice system in dealing with repeat offenders and ensuring public safety. As the investigation continues, the community rallies behind Silverglad, offering support and echoing calls for increased efforts to protect vulnerable individuals from acts of violence.