Murder In Union Square

A man allegedly went on a rampage in Union Square on September 4 and left a complete stranger dead in the process.

Police said that the attack may have been a hate crime.

Friends of Jeffrey Babbitt, 62, were shocked to hear about the random act of violence that left the gentle, retired train conductor in a coma, CBS 2′s Dave Carlin reported on Friday.

“I don’t believe that. I don’t know why that happened. He is very nice,” Igor Sapozhnikov said.

Babbitt was minding his own business as he walked through the crowd near the chess boards in Union Square when a man made a hateful announcement and began his rampage, witnesses said. “He said ‘the next white person who walks by I’m going to [expletive],’” one woman said. “His fist went in and the man’s head bobbed and he hit the ground and you could hear his skull hitting the ground.”

The man continued his rampage before demanding to see police officers.

Similar Posts

  • Indoor Farm Next to Hyatt Hotel

    The Greenmarket’s economic impact on the Union Square community is unmatched. Businesses congregate within walking distance, and thousands of shoppers, chefs and onlookers visit the market’s dozens of farmers four days a week. Forty years later, Union Square continues to be on the forefront of healthy living and environmental learning as we welcome Project Farmhouse, GrowNYC’s new permanent center for sustainability and education. Located next to the Hyatt on 4th Avenue and 13th Street, the community center will offer dynamic programming year-round such as training for farmers, cooking classes for children, film screenings, special events, and panel discussions.

  • Latest New School Construction Update

    Next week (August 20 to August 24), Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation on upper floors will continue and lower levels will continue on 13th st. with the aid of a small crane. The crane will remain on 13th st. for the purpose of curtain wall installation.

    The following week (August 27 to August 31) Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation will continue on all floors. Work on 13th st should be complete by the end of this week and will be moved to 5th ave. to continue wrapping the building.

    This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, August 25th for superstructure related activities and curtain wall installation between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. The crane on 13th st. will not be used during the weekend. Con Ed is on site working on the building but is not in any of the streets.

    Additionally over the holiday weekend the site will be open on Saturday, September 1st but will be closed on Monday, the 3rd.

  • Union Square Communication Screens

    Communication network City24/7 launched its first “SmartScreens” booths today at ten locations around Union Square. The 32-inch touch screens are affixed to phone booths, and provide users with location-based local news, transit updates, current events, and entertainment listings like restaurants and shops for free. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the system is also providing information on volunteer opportunities. Over the next few months, a total of 250 screens will be installed throughout the city. The ATM-strength screens can withstand extreme weather, and they include back-up batteries if power is lost. City24/7 is responsible for the installation and upkeep for the booths, which also have free wifi.