Man Severely Beaten With Baseball Bat In Downtown Riverhead: PD

RIVERHEAD, NY — A Riverhead man was severely beaten by someone with a baseball bat near the Peconic River on Thursday night, police said.

According to Riverhead Town police, the incident took place at about 11:03 p.m. Police said they received a 911 call from a man, 44, reporting that he had been the victim of violence and was in need of medical attention.

Patrol officers responded to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's lower Peconic River fishing access site, located near 1129 West Main Street in Riverhead, police said.

Upon arrival, officers located the man, whose face was bleeding; he appeared to have several injuries to his face and head, police said.

He indicated that he had been hit in the face by another man, who was armed with a baseball bat and had fled the area on foot prior to police arrival, police said.

With the assistance of a Riverhead K9 unit, officers were able to locate Shurvelle Rush, 47, of Riverhead in a nearby wooded area, police said.

The K9 unit was also able to locate evidence that is believed to have been used in the crime, police said.

Rush had also caused extensive damage to the victim's vehicle, a 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander, during the assault, police said.

Rush was placed under arrest and transported to the Riverhead Police Department, where he was charged with one count of first-degree assault, a felony; one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony; and one count of third-degree criminal mischief, a felony, police said.

The injured man was treated at the scene by Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps personnel and transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center; he was subsequently transferred to Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens due to the severity of his injuries, police said.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Riverhead Police at 631-727-4500.