Jewish Man Beaten and Robbed After Act of Kindness

In a kind gesture, a Crown Heights Jewish man offered a cigarette to a stranger who approached him and asked for one. Instead of a thank you, he was beaten and robbed.

The incident occurred on Thursday at around 12:00am. The victim was standing in the alleyway behind his house on Crown Street near Troy Avenue and smoking a cigarette, when the perpetrator – identified as Derrick Evans, 40 – approached him and asked for one. He obliged, but then the perpetrator asked him for money; when he refused, the perpetrator punched him in the face.

The victim attempted to flee back into his home, but Evans chased and followed him into his home. Only when the victim got to his phone and dialed 911 did he flee.

Officers arrived and immediately began searching for the suspect, locating him some 30 minutes later. The victim was brought by and made a positive identification.

Evans was placed under arrest and charged with multiple counts of burglary, robbery, assault, menacing and trespassing. He is being held on $50,000 bail, which he did not post.

Law enforcement sources told CrownHeights.info that Evans has over 50 prior arrests related to possession of drugs, stolen property, burglary and assault.

Two weeks earlier, another Jewish man was assaulted and had $80 taken from him in the same alleyway. Police are looking into the possibility that the crime was committed by the same suspect.

24 Comments

  • Kindness That Can Kill

    How is giving someone a cigarette being kind? Cigarettes kill.

    • You missed the point!

      The victim could have been taking out the garbage and the perp could have asked the victim what time it was!

      Same problem!

      Someone needs to end this “blame the victim” stuff in our society! This victim was conned, assaulted, robbed, etc., by a drug addict, and YOU’RE worried about cigarettes being unhealthy!

      STOP THE MADNESS!

    • Citizen Berel

      He’s not missing the point nor blaming the victim, he’s a hammer what saw a nail so bang bang.

    • one stupid comment ...

      more than likely from a smoker (or hi on weed) himself/herself.

      shame on u

  • 50 prior arrests?!

    So he was CAUGHT 50 times, probably COMMITTED hundreds of crimes. Why is this menace still on the streets?!

    • yep.

      ask Blasio and the rest of the liberals who want to “reduce the number of inmates in our jails”.

    • Please

      #5 – the Rebbe was against jail as a punishment for non-Jews as well.

    • Not .yep

      As a liberal, reducing the amount of people in jail doesn’t mean nobody in jail. It means not jailing people for ridiculously minor infractions and limiting their ability to get a better paying job, an apartment, etc., all because we have a system that financially relies on jailing people. For a lot of people, it becomes a cycle and that doesn’t help anybody but the people who profit off from the jails.

      For a lot of people, one minor infraction can set someone’s life very far back.

      From a sociological perspective, there are people who grow up with an extremely limited worldview from being in a one-parent home, having poor education, no guidance, limited opportunities and jail becomes a way of life. I’ve overheard homeless people talking about committing minor crimes just so they could have a place to sleep for the night.

      These issues are not liberal vs conservative, democrat vs republican, etc. That’s a non-intellectual way of seeing things and is really what our politicians want: to have citizens be pitted against each other. It doesn’t help us, it helps them. It’s a trick.

      There are issues and they need to be solved and there are better solutions to rehabilitate people into becoming productive members of society.

      For someone like Derrick Evans, I don’t know what his deal is but he shouldn’t be on the streets.

  • The kangeroo

    When He asked for a cigarette he wanted the mans hands to be busy and his defenses to be down.Learn and live and don’t worry about him smoking.

  • Georgia Jewish Proud

    Thank G-d that the Jewish man was not killed. Why was this miserable perpetrator still on the streets. This “perp” is not a worthy human being;he is worse than garbage. When do we, as a society, stand up and say “No more ?” We have the right to be safe and the right to defend ourselves,our families and our homes. Get smart, New York; demand the right to be armed. Demand the right to keep and bear arms. Do not allow these liberals to ruin your lives. This “perp” has been arrested over 50 times and still he walks the streets? That is a crime ! Get rid of the liberals !! Elect Republicans and take the city back from the criminals ! I am a former New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn. Get smart ! Take NYC back from the liberal criminals, now !!

    • not true

      smoking affects lungs not muscles . also smoking max on cigarrete a day very likely wont dangrously affect you.

  • never help

    any of them! i helped an person of color [a old lady] and she stole my beautiful bracelet off my hand and I didnt feel a thing. “Be very careful! DO NOT HELP!!! just continue walking!
    p.s. unfortunately these evil people give a bad name to all people of color !

    • Rivka

      They only give all people of color a bad name if you let yourself focus on the negative and worst people. You are forgetting about all of the people who never bothered you that you walk past every day.

  • jewish dude

    Maybe people should carry pepperspray.This is very effective self defense against criminals wo attack and rob you.

  • Ch resident

    The Jewish man had bad judgement . He was naive.
    . He should have walked away. This guy was obviously trouble.

  • nlp

    we were supposed to be teaching the sheva mitzvos bnei noach, but their religious leaders are really less than receptive…….
    how to deal with that??