Optometrist attacked mid-appointment in front of patient on Upper East Side: NYPD

UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) – An optometrist is speaking out after he says he was attacked in the middle of an appointment by an unknown man on Thursday.

The man walked into the doctor’s office on East 77th Street just before 1:30 p.m., according to police. That’s when he approached the doctor from behind and punched him in the head, investigators say.

The doctor says he was in the middle of examining a patient when the incident happened. Security footage of the moment shows the patient running out to get help for the doctor who was knocked unconscious.

He was taken to the hospital for a CAT scan and was left with seven stitches on the left side of his forehead.

Police say they’re looking for a man in his early 20s who is about 5 feet and 11 inches tall, and 190 pounds.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org , downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here .

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