Cops arrest two teens in vicious Midwood attack

Still looking for getaway driver

January 4, 2016 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Assemblymember Dov Hikind sits with the victim of the Midwood attack at his home on Monday. Photo courtesy of the office of Assemblymember Hikind

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Two robbers who viciously beat a 60-year-old man in a ruthless attack in Midwood last week were arrested on Thursday, police said.

Baskim Huseinovic, 19, and Eldin Sabovic, 17, were hit with a slew of charges, including assault, robbery, menacing and harassment.

A temporary order of protection was issued in Kings County Criminal Court on Saturday, according to court records. Bond was set at $25,000 for each of the accused, who are due back in court on Wednesday. Both are being represented by public defenders.

Police from the 66th Precinct are continuing their search for a third person who drove the perps’ getaway vehicle.

Sabovic has no previous arrests; Huseinovic has been charged with minor crimes in the past. These include loitering, “spitting” and failing to comply with a park sign. Warrants had been issued on these charges; they were vacated when Huseinovic appeared before Judge Joseph E. Gubbay in Criminal Court on Saturday.

Both of the accused live just blocks from the attack, according the Daily News.

The alleged perpetrators had followed the unsuspecting victim at 1 a.m. on Thursday and punched him to the sidewalk, where he was then repeatedly pummeled and kicked by both attackers. They emptied the man’s pockets, grabbing his iPhone and wallet, and gave him a final vicious kick to the head before leaving.

The victim was rushed to New York Methodist Hospital and required 70 stitches to his head, according to reports.

The assault had been caught on videotape, as seen above.

“I’m shocked at the maliciousness of these young adults,” Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) said in a statement. “We need to do everything in our power to keep our community safe and aware of our surroundings. I look forward to the sentencing of these criminals for such heinous crimes.”

Hikind’s office said the young men were Albanians, while the victim was an Orthodox Jew. The young men have not been charged at this time with committing a hate crime.

Hikind had offered a $3,000 reward for information leading to the attackers’ arrests. (Update: This increased to $4,000 with District Leader Ari Brighton’s donation from the Bay Democrats club.) Sen. Simcha Felder added another $1,000.

According to Hikind’s office, an anonymous call led to the apprehension of the alleged attackers. Since it was anonymous, no reward was issued.

Hikind said more surveillance cameras should be installed throughout the community in response to what he called a recent spate of criminal activity.

“Whether it be personal video surveillance or state instituted, we need cameras on every street,” Hikind said. “It’s another measure of keeping us safe. They make all the difference in the world.”