On Thursday, December 7, 2023, at around 4:40 a.m. in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, 66-year-old Carlos Guaman, and his 52-year-old cousin were brutally attacked by a for-hire car service driver near their home on West 9th Street, near Avenue T.
The altercation, which was captured on a doorbell camera, showed the driver, Sergio Zamora-Mendoza, 33, exiting the vehicle and aggressively assaulting both men, inflicting severe head trauma.
The attack left Guaman and his cousin unconscious on the ground outside the car. Emergency responders rushed both victims to Maimonides Medical Center. However, Guaman died from his injuries at the hospital, while his cousin, whose identity has not been disclosed, remains in critical but stable condition.
Authorities believe the attack stemmed from a dispute over an unpaid fare. Zamora-Mendoza fled the scene immediately after the assault, heading north on West 9th Street. The younger cousin, reported to have been heavily intoxicated at the time of the attack, has said he has no recollection of the incident.
The suspect, Zamora-Mendoza, has been arrested by police and charged with manslaughter and assault.
Local residents expressed their horror and disbelief, with one neighbor lamenting the senseless violence and others calling for justice for the victims.
The New York Police Department is actively investigating the case. They urge anyone with information to come forward.
