A disturbing incident in a Harlem subway station has raised concerns after the attacker was allowed to go free by the police. In this shocking episode, 60-year-old Laurell Reynolds was brutally assaulted with her own cane by a man later identified as 43-year-old Norton Blake. The assault occurred at the West 116 Street and Lenox Avenue subway station around 3:30 a.m. last Friday, a horrifying event captured on video.
Reynolds, who is disabled and relies on a walker, was subjected to a relentless attack, with the assailant striking her head, stomach, leg, arms, back, and hands. Her cane shattered under the ferocity of the blows. Despite the harrowing attack, the police allowed Blake to leave the scene without arrest.
Reynolds expressed her distress, saying, “They should’ve arrested him! I don’t deserve that. Not at all, not at all … and I pray to God that it doesn’t happen to no one else.” She emphasized the importance of holding the perpetrator accountable, fearing that he might harm others if not apprehended.
Reynolds’s daughter, Lashanne Reese, also criticized the police response and the lack of assistance from bystanders. She pointed out the gravity of the situation, stating, “He could do this to someone else’s mother or father because they did not lock him up.” Reese’s frustration stemmed from her mother’s severe injuries and the perceived inaction of the authorities.
Norton Blake, who has a history of nine prior arrests for various offenses, including drug possession, assault, trespassing, and resisting arrest, reportedly provided a fake name to the police when they arrived at the scene. The motive behind the assault remains unclear, although witnesses reported that it began with an argument as Reynolds ascended the subway stairs.
Reynolds recalled the disturbing encounter, saying, “I was trying to get my walker up the steps, and this man was coming down and he was like, ‘Move, bitch, get out of the way.'” She further explained how the situation escalated as the man became increasingly hostile, eventually pushing her and beating her with her cane.
The police’s response to the incident is currently under investigation, with the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau looking into the matter. Despite the traumatic experience, Reynolds remains hospitalized, enduring considerable pain and distress. Her hope is that justice will be served and that such incidents will not happen to others in the future.