EAST VILLAGE — Friends and relatives will gather next week to mourn Ruan Wen Hui, the 68-year-old East Village man who was beaten to death in an attempted robbery last week.
A memorial service for Hui will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at East 6th Street near Avenue D, where he was attacked, said Vanessa Diaz Lopez from Councilwoman Rosie Mendez's office, which is organizing the event. The service will give Hui's family and the community a chance to come together to remember his life and to take a stand against violence in the neighborhood, she said.
"We’re holding the memorial because we do not tolerate any kind of violence in our district and we wanted to show our solidarity with the family and honor the memory of the deceased," Diaz Lopez said.
Hui, a retired garment worker, was a block away from home when Jamie Pugh, 20, confronted him outside 745 E. 6th St. at about 8:45 p.m. May 9, prosecutors said. Pugh ordered Hui to “gimme something,” a witness told police.
Hui, who neighbors said spoke limited English, was trying to walk away when Pugh grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him into a wall before stomping and kicking his head. Hui died from his injuries the next day.
Michelle Ruan, Hui's daughter, said the past week has been difficult for her family.
"We try our best to be strong and hopefully to get justice for my dad,” Ruan said.
Pugh’s mother told DNAinfo New York that her son was high on the drug Molly at the time of the attack and doesn’t remember the incident. He faces murder, assault and robbery charges.
