Brutes Beat East Village Man Over Bouquet Of Roses

EAST VILLAGE, NY — Two men viciously beat a 31-year-old man selling flowers in the East Village on Friday after they tried to steal a bouquet of roses, said police. The brawlers punched the man and slammed him to the ground in front of the flower stand at Bueno East Market on the corner of East Third Street and Avenue A at 3:15 a.m. after the man stopped the pair from bolting with the bouquet.

The man, who employees identified as Juan Carlo, suffered a broken nose and cuts to his face and hands, according to police. A police investigation of the attack is ongoing.

Carlo was able to walk himself to Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital after his shift and won't be returning to work until next week, according to an employee at Bueno East Market who declined to give his name for fear of retribution. Carlo did not respond to a request for comment.

Carlo, who has sold flowers at the stand for the last three years, quickly became a community staple and his regular customers are already rallying to help pay his medical bills. Mary O's, the neighborhood bar on Avenue A between East Second and Third streets, will collect donations for Carlo's recovery at the bar for the next week, according to a poster reported by EV Grieve.

"Juan Carlo is a beloved fixture of our neighborhood who now needs our help," reads the poster. “Anything you can give will help one of the friendliest faces we see every day, one that is the embodiment of what we love most about our special little corner of New York City."

To make a donation, visit Mary O's at 32 Avenue A between East Second and Third streets after 5 p.m.

Image credit: Caroline Spivack/Patch