Video Captures Hurricane-Exploiting Thugs Mercilessly Beating, Mugging Brooklyn Man

Screen shot from surveillance video: Attacker steps on victim's head before fleeing the seen of a brutal mugging

Hurricane Sandy inspired many acts of charity and kindness. But for the criminally-inclined it was apparently too tempting an opportunity to pass up, as seen in a disturbing video captured in Brooklyn, New York as the storm was landing Monday evening.

As Hurricane Sandy was hitting Brooklyn, a gang of five thugs knocked down, mugged and ruthlessly beat a man guilty of nothing more than walking up the street with an umbrella.

The local news site CrownHeights.info, whose audience is the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish community headquartered in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, obtained surveillance video from two angles capturing the brutal attack, which it posted on YouTube and on its own site (and can be seen below).

In the video, one man appears to trip the unsuspecting victim by extending his leg then knocking him down. Then, four others who must have been hiding for the initial takedown pounce seemingly out of nowhere and appear to beat, kick and drag the man as he’s on the ground.

First attacker trips then knocks down unsuspecting pedestrian holding sheer umbrella

The last attacker to leave the scene apparently couldn’t resist the urge before fleeing to step on the man’s head, while the man is face down on the wet street. As CrownHeights.info’s writer put it:

As if his thirst for violence and brutality hadn't yet been quenched, one of the perpetrators sadistically steps on the unconscious man's head before walking away.

The incident lasted less than a minute but must have felt like a lifetime to the victim. Shortly after, a pedestrian approaches the victim, who is able to stand on his own.

Four other men suddenly appear and join in on the attack

CrownHeights.info says the victim is Jewish and the perpetrators African American and that the man’s wallet and cellphone were stolen. TheBlaze has not yet been able to independently verify the video or the description of those involved, and no information on the attack was found on a local paper’s police blotter.

The same community website was the one that earlier this month published the surveillance video that captured NYPD officers viciously beating Ehud Halevi, who had been sleeping on a couch inside a Jewish synagogue and outreach center for troubled youths.

Watch the surveillance video here. Content warning - the video may be disturbing for some to watch:

(H/T: The Algemeiner)