HELL'S KITCHEN — A loitering homeless man who was asked to leave a laundromat by its owner retaliated by repeatedly punching him in the face, according to police and video.
Terence Liao, 39, the proprietor of Best Wash & Dry, Inc. at 670 Ninth Ave. said he noticed the man, who had several larger garbage bags, lingering about 5:30 p.m. on the seats normally reserved for customers.
"I asked him to leave because he wasn't a customer, he starts freaking out," Liao said. "He gets in my face."
Liao, whose family has run the laundromat for two years, said the man started talking about all the cameras pointed at him and grew angry.
Surveillance video of the incident shows Liao and the man, face-to-face in a heated argument, each refusing to back down. The man gets closer to Liao, who at one point pushes him back.
Just when it seems like the suspect is about to leave, he spins around and starts throwing punches, pummeling Liao, who collapses onto the floor.
"I've never been beaten like that," Liao said, still shaken from the attack, pressing a cold compress to the bulging, left side of his face.
Homeless people often loiter in the laundromat or try to use his sinks to wash themselves, Liao said.
"Lately it's been getting worse. Lately it just seems like there are more homeless people," Liao said. "The last resort is usually to call the police, but I didn't even get a chance to do that."
No arrests had been made as of Friday morning, according to police.
