94-Year-Old Doctor Assaulted in Apple Store Attack
A 94-year-old retired physician became an unwitting victim of violence this week when he was randomly struck by an assailant at an Apple store on the Upper East Side, prompting concerns about safety for both himself and others.
Moshe Labi had recently purchased an Apple Watch at the Madison Avenue location near East 74th Street around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, accompanied by his 78-year-old partner, Evelia Butt. As they attempted to leave, they encountered chaos instigated by the suspect, who had already engaged in troubling behavior with other patrons.
"We were in the store for quite a while before heading out, and there was some disturbance happening,” Labi recounted in an interview. “I suggested to Evelia that we pause until the situation settled.”
Labi described standing still as the tumult unfolded, when suddenly, an individual entered the vestibule and struck him. "Evelia chased after him, but I was already faltering,” he noted.
Fortunately, Labi was leaning against a wall, which helped ease his fall. "It could have been a lot worse. I hit my head and back, and the impact was significant," he explained, demonstrating the force of the blow with a fist to his jaw.
The incident left Labi grappling with feelings of trauma. “I’m still processing this, as the experience was jarring. It’s disheartening to feel so unreassured about walking alone, fearing it could happen again to me or someone else," he expressed.
Originally from Libya, Labi and his family fled during the Nazi incursion into North Africa. His life’s path took him through Sudan, Egypt, and Italy, where he attended medical school before serving in Israel’s Independence War. Eventually, he established his life in New York City as an internist and led a medical group before retiring at 89.
In addition to his medical career, Labi recently authored a memoir titled “Benghazi, Tel Aviv, New York: A Journey from Adversity to Success.”
Drawing from his medical knowledge, Labi assessed his condition after the attack, deeming it unnecessary to visit the hospital since there was no visible bleeding and his breathing was normal. He opted instead to accompany officers to the precinct.
He acknowledged having been a martial arts instructor at one point but admitted he was caught off guard by the assailant. "I don’t think reasoning with him would have worked; he seemed genuinely unhinged," he commented, adding a note on the need for better support systems for people exhibiting such erratic behavior.
Meanwhile, Butt shared with reporters that an employee informed her the assailant had been upset due to a declined credit card when trying to purchase a phone. “He was also bothering a woman parked nearby,” she elaborated.
Butt stressed the urgency of capturing the perpetrator, stating, “He could have harmed someone else. That he chose to attack a 94-year-old is particularly upsetting.”
As of Thursday, law enforcement reported that the assailant was still at large, last seen heading north on Madison Avenue. He is described as tall, with a dark complexion and a slim build, and was wearing a black T-shirt, blue pants, and tan shoes.
Authorities encourage anyone with information about the incident to reach out to the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or contact the organization online through the CrimeStoppers website or on X @NYPDTips.
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