Nicola Tanzi, 64, fatally beaten in New York City subway

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Brooklyn Man, 64, Fatally Beaten in Unprovoked Subway Attack; Suspect Charged With Murder

NEW YORK (DailyKenn.com) — A 64-year-old Brooklyn resident was beaten to death in a brutal, daylight attack at a busy subway station Tuesday, authorities said, in what police described as an unprovoked assault over a perceived glance.

Nicola Tanzi, a security guard from the Bensonhurst neighborhood, was found unconscious and unresponsive with severe head trauma at the Jay Street-MetroTech station in downtown Brooklyn around 3 p.m., according to the New York Police Department. He was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.

Witnesses told investigators that Tanzi had approached a man struggling with an exit gate, possibly holding it open to assist, when the two exchanged words. The suspect then allegedly sucker-punched Tanzi, knocking him to the ground, before pummeling his face repeatedly and stomping on his head up to 15 times over the course of about 10 minutes, sources said. The attack unfolded in full view of horrified commuters, some of whom captured video on their phones, and was corroborated by MTA security cameras.

The assailant fled the scene on foot, but was apprehended hours later in Times Square after NYPD issued citywide alerts to officers' phones. Authorities recovered Tanzi's stolen credit cards and wallet from the suspect, along with a samurai sword he was carrying.

David Mazariegos, 25, of the Bronx, was charged Wednesday with two counts each of second-degree murder, robbery and grand larceny. During questioning, Mazariegos allegedly confessed to detectives, stating he attacked Tanzi because he "didn't like the way the victim looked at him," police said. Mazariegos, an artist who sold paintings on the street, has at least 15 prior arrests, though details on those cases were not immediately released.

Friends and neighbors remembered Tanzi as a kind and gentle man, placing candles at the station Wednesday in his honor. "He was always helping people, never caused trouble," one longtime acquaintance said. The incident has renewed concerns about subway safety amid a recent uptick in violent crimes on New York City's transit system.

Mazariegos was arraigned Thursday in Brooklyn criminal court and held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for next week.