85-year-old man punched in the head while walking in Hell's Kitchen

An 85-year-old man was hospitalized after being punched in the head in an unprovoked attack while walking in Hell's Kitchen.

It happened just after 5 p.m. Friday on 400 W. 43rd Street near Ninth Avenue.

"Actually seeing him on the floor with all the blood around him - it was heartbreaking. You know, I have a granddad," said Juan Rivera.

Police huddled at the corner - just steps away from David Kholikov's fruit stand after the shockingly nonchalant attack. He says not much surprises him anymore.

"You know what else is shocking to me? Like a couple of weeks ago, someone was throwing rocks right here," Kholikov said.

He says the rocks were being thrown from the balcony of a nearby building and hit a fruit stand customer in the neck.

"I wanna have a normal day. I'm a hardworking person - I've been working here for more than 10 years and I just want to do the job and take care of the customers," he adds.

Soon after the man was punched, hordes of people filled the same street corner - unbeknownst to them - it could have been any of them.

"Most of the time my husband is at work, so I'm by myself with the baby and the dog, so carry mace," said Manhattan resident Pam Gala.

More police foot patrols might help, some say - and maybe a closer look at the area.

The 85-year-old was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

No arrests have been made.

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