New Rochelle Resident Brutally Assaulted by Two Men Hiding in Bushes — UPDATED

A New Rochelle resident was viscously assaulted and robbed earlier tonight outside his home in Sutton Manor. The man was just completing the walk from the New Rochelle train station to his home when two men who sprang from the bushes in front of his house, struck him in the head with a blunt instrument and then made off in a car parked nearby. The victim is currently at Sound Shore Hospital in serious but stable condition.

Police responded quickly to a 911 call. Neighbors reported a noticeable police presence and canine unit combing the neighborhood. The assailants were described as two young black men. The man’s briefcase was stolen.

UPDATE: The Journal News and Channel 12 News have now picked up the story. The Journal News has a rather inaccurate report, describing the incident as a “home invasion”.

Two suspects wearing dark clothing entered a home and struck someone inside with a metal rod. The suspects then fled in a dark-colored sedan. The victim was taken to the hospital. Police would not reveal if that person was the homeowner, what was taken or how the suspects entered the home.

The assailants did NOT enter the home. The victim reported that two men jumped out of the bushes in front of his home on Sutton Manor Road. The victim’s adult child was in the home at the time of the incident and was unaware of the attack until after it was over. For reasons known only to themselves, the JN failed to mention that there were witnesses to the attack and that witnesses and the victim described the assailants as two young black men.

The victim underwent an MRI and received stitches for an open wound on his head at Sound Shore hospital.

The home is on a stretch of Sutton Manor Road where neighbors have long complained about students and staff at nearby Monroe College using the street as a sort of auxiliary parking lot for the college. Cars driven by students and staff routinely take up all available street parking in the area. The Sutton Manor Homeowners Association has made numerous complaints to the City of New Rochelle about the ongoing problem. Former City Councilwoman Chris Selin lives in Sutton Manor.

Residents of Sutton Manor have long expressed concern to City officials that use of the neighborhood as a parking lot for the college has brought many non-residents into the enclave of about 40 homes nestled along the shore of Echo Bay on Long Island Sound. Residents have been frustrated to return home only to find parking spaces in front of their homes unavailable and have taken to placing chairs and other obstacles in front of their homes when they leave to prevent non-residents from parking in spots directly in front of their homes.

After the attack last night, some residents expressed concerns that there was a connection between Monroe College and the attack.

UPDATE: Just saw the Channel 12 News story. They added one new piece of information; that a cell phone was also stolen.

UPDATE: NRPD has issued the following statement:

At 7:28 PM on Jan. 4, 2010, NRPD received a report via 911 of a robbery on Sutton Manor Rd. Responding police units determined that a 57 year old resident of New Rochelle was accosted and robbed of his briefcase. The description of the suspects is as follows: 2 male blacks, wearing dark clothing; the suspects fled in the direction of the boat house on Sutton Manor Rd. The NRPD general Investigation Unit is conducting a follow up investigation.

UPDATE: Monroe College responds.

Rob Seitz, a spokesperson for Monroe College, told Talk of the Sound that the college is not aware of students or staff parking in Sutton Manor. Seitz pointed out that Sutton Manor is several blocks away from the campus and Monroe College offers adequate parking for both with multiple parking lots on Main Street and Locust Avenue. He noted that classes do not begin until tomorrow and few students would have been on campus on Monday night. Seitz says most Monroe College students do not have cars — one-third are from overseas, many live in dormitories and those that commute between the New Rochelle and Bronx campuses get free shuttle bus service.

UPDATE: Sutton Manor resident comments, attributes parking problems to illegal apartments on the other side of Echo Avenue. Says she has never seen Monroe College students parking in the Sutton Manor.