NEW YORK CITY, NY - Authorities with the New York Police Department (NYPD) said that a decorated Delta Force veteran suffered serious head injuries after being slammed in the head with a brick by a homeless man with a long rap sheet in an unprovoked attack during broad daylight.
According to the New York Post, 54-year-old Mark Antal was standing outside an East Village Pilates studio waiting for his young daughters when 44-year-old James Lawson began screaming for him to get off "his street." The incident began around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 13th. Lawson then lunged at Antal and the two go into a scuffle.
Lawson picked up a brick and slammed it into Antal's head. Despite being dazed by the blow, Antal was able to wrestle Lawson to the ground and wait for the police after bystanders called 911. The unprovoked episode sent both men to the hospital. Antal's wife, Christine said, "We are grateful that Mark is alive and concerned about damage to his brain and head. We are worried about our neighborhood and our children. Our children should not be afraid to be outside on a sunny Sunday morning."
Lawson was also injured during the scuffle and us being held at Bellevue Hospital with second-degree assault charges pending an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. Records show that Lawson has five prior unsealed arrests, including two felonies. His latest arrest was on April 9th, when he was charged in two separate incidents — allegedly smashing a glass at a bar on Avenue B and reaching into a car and grabbing the victim's phone.
He was arraigned on those charges on April 11th and released without bail. The charges he was facing are not bail eligible under New York state's controversial criminal justice reforms.
Antal's wife said the incident shook up the family, even though they are no strangers to trauma. They run the nonprofit Task Force Antal, which provides humanitarian assistance to victims in some of the world's most war-torn regions. Antal's military career included 12 years with the U.S. Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta before he retired from active duty in 2015.
Christine said on Monday, "My children recently got back from visiting wounded children and handing out medical supplies in Ukraine, and spent nights in bomb shelters. Last night they woke up crying and scared to be in their home in NYC and said they feel safer in Kyiv."
According to the New York Post, 54-year-old Mark Antal was standing outside an East Village Pilates studio waiting for his young daughters when 44-year-old James Lawson began screaming for him to get off "his street." The incident began around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 13th. Lawson then lunged at Antal and the two go into a scuffle.
Lawson picked up a brick and slammed it into Antal's head. Despite being dazed by the blow, Antal was able to wrestle Lawson to the ground and wait for the police after bystanders called 911. The unprovoked episode sent both men to the hospital. Antal's wife, Christine said, "We are grateful that Mark is alive and concerned about damage to his brain and head. We are worried about our neighborhood and our children. Our children should not be afraid to be outside on a sunny Sunday morning."
Lawson was also injured during the scuffle and us being held at Bellevue Hospital with second-degree assault charges pending an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. Records show that Lawson has five prior unsealed arrests, including two felonies. His latest arrest was on April 9th, when he was charged in two separate incidents — allegedly smashing a glass at a bar on Avenue B and reaching into a car and grabbing the victim's phone.
He was arraigned on those charges on April 11th and released without bail. The charges he was facing are not bail eligible under New York state's controversial criminal justice reforms.
Antal's wife said the incident shook up the family, even though they are no strangers to trauma. They run the nonprofit Task Force Antal, which provides humanitarian assistance to victims in some of the world's most war-torn regions. Antal's military career included 12 years with the U.S. Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta before he retired from active duty in 2015.
Christine said on Monday, "My children recently got back from visiting wounded children and handing out medical supplies in Ukraine, and spent nights in bomb shelters. Last night they woke up crying and scared to be in their home in NYC and said they feel safer in Kyiv."
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Comments
2025-04-17T20:44-0400 | Comment by: Phil
Woke wacko liberal democrat justice system causes harm to another law abiding citizen. Democrats are a real and present danger to Americans.
2025-04-17T20:44-0400 | Comment by: Phil
Woke wacko liberal democrat justice system causes harm to another law abiding citizen. Democrats are a real and present danger to Americans.