AMITYVILLE, New York (PIX11) – Police have arrested a man in connection with seven separate attacks that appear to have been a “knockout game” terror spree against innocent residents of all ages.
Darryl Mitchell, 20, of North Amityville will be charged with the assaults of seven different men — two over the age of 65 — dating back to April of last year. Mitchell already pleaded not guilty to four counts of assault after he was arrested Dec. 4.
All the crimes occurred in North Babylon and Amityville. According to the Suffolk County DA Thomas Spota, all of the attacks were done spontaneously and in broad daylight.
On the 10th of November, according to Spota, Mitchell walked up to one of his victims, Lawyer D. Jones, in a manner “so menacing to Mr. Jones, he left the sidewalk to walk on the street near the curb,” Suffolk County DA Thomas Spota explained. “Unfortunately, giving him leeway didn’t prevent the attack. Mitchell ran up Mr. Jones and punched him in the right eye, cutting his eyelid so badly the wound required seven stitches to close.”
All the victims were male, and in each case the suspect walked up and punched the victim in the face, police said.
Darryl Mitchell, 20, of North Amityville.
Another of his victims, 69-year-old James Graves, of North Babylon, was looking for tools in his trunk when the suspect walked up to him from behind and hit Graves twice in the head.
“On December 1 Mitchell is suspected of attacking two other men in separate assaults on the North Amityville street where he lives,” said Spota. “At approximately 7:30 am, the victim, Jose Payero, 66 years old, was walking on Jefferson Avenue when the defendant ran up to him and punched him in the face, breaking Mr. Payero’s glasses,” the DA said.
“Around a half-hour later, Orlando Vasquez was walking to church on Jefferson Avenue. He told detectives the defendant ran up to him and suddenly punched him in the face multiple times.’ “Mr. Vasquez said he fell to the pavement and the defendant kicked him in the head”, Spota said.
Nothing was stolen in any of the attacks, which is consistent with the “knockout game,” the goal of which is simply to knock a stranger out cold with one ruthless sucker punch.
Mitchell was originally arrested Dec 4thon an assault charge, and a grand jury was empaneled after police developed information on the other attacks.
He is currently in jail awaiting arraignment Wednesday in Riverhead court.
