Bronx father who spent weeks in hospital speaks after robbery, beating

A 29-year-old Bronx father spent weeks in the hospital after being beaten with milk crates and chairs. He is now out of the hospital and speaking about his ordeal.  Jose Gunnell was beaten on the night

News 12 Staff

Sep 27, 2016, 8:09 AM

Updated 2,760 days ago

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Bronx father who spent weeks in hospital speaks after robbery, beating
A 29-year-old Bronx father spent weeks in the hospital after being beaten with milk crates and chairs. He is now out of the hospital and speaking about his ordeal. 
Jose Gunnell was beaten on the night of Aug. 31. He suffered seven broken ribs, two broken eye sockets and a damaged wrist in the vicious beating. 
Gunnell tells News 12 that prior to the assault he had just left the hospital following treatment for a heart condition. 
Police have surveillance video of the three men who are allegedly connected to the beating of Gunnell as he walked down the street near his Clay Avenue apartment. 
Gunnell is a single father of a 6-year-old daughter and a client of the Department of Homeless Services. He says life has gotten even harder now that his injuries are preventing him from working and supporting his daughter. 
"I thought I was going to lose my life, that was my main concern. I wanted to at least fight them off to get into the building to see my daughter," says Gunnell. "I think the worst part was actually seeing people who lived in that building do nothing but stand around and record. They didn't try to stop it or nothing."
He says that because of the beating outside his home, he has moved away and now lives on Townsend Avenue.
"I think the biggest problem is mental. Physically, I think I'm doing well, but it's the living in constant fear," says Gunnell. 
Police say he was robbed of two cellphones, clothing and $300 that Gunnell was saving to buy his daughter school clothes.


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