What did Karim Azizi do? Suspect seen in brutal New York baseball bat attack video arrested by officials

On Wednesday, December 7, Karim Azizi was arrested by New York officials for the brutal November 29 assault of a homeless man on Amsterdam Avenue.

As per TMZ, surveillance footage of the incident indicated that Karim Azizi, 36, walked up behind his victim, a 47-year-old homeless man, and struck him in the head with a baseball bat before kicking him.

The NYPD reported that the assault stemmed from a verbal altercation. The suspect supposedly did not know the victim prior to that day.

Pix11 reported that the victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition. Karim Azizi, who was arrested in Hamilton Heights, has been charged with assault, attempted assault, and criminal possession of a weapon.

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The implications of Karim Azizi's actions on New York City

While Karim Azizi's alleged assault on the homeless man has stirred outrage among netizens, many others have noted that it is simply indicative of the frequency of violence in New York City.

As per Newsweek, New York authorities noted that while shootings and homicides have gone down in the city, robbery and assault, such as the recent Karim Azizi case, have added to a 15.2% overall increase in the crime index.

NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said that authorities have made violent crime a particular focus.

Sewell said:

"One crime victim is one victim too many, and the hardworking women and men of the NYPD are committed to ensuring that no one—in any New York City neighborhood—is harmed by violence or disorder."

He added that many criminals are reportedly quick to use violence due to what they perceive as lax legal consequences.

Sewell said:

"Most importantly, we must shatter the perception among criminals that there are no consequences for violent crime, and realign our system to center on those who matter most: crime victims. At the NYPD, we will never stop delivering on our public-safety promise, and we need every sector of our society to make the same pledge to see that promise fully realized."

Besides assault, theft has also remained a concern for the police.

In an official NYPD press release, the statement read:

"Five of the seven major index-crime categories saw increases, driven by a 22.7% increase in burglary (1,409 v. 1,148), a 21.5% increase in grand larceny auto (1,215 v. 1,000), and a 21.3% increase in grand larceny (4,552 v. 3,753)."

Fabien Levy, the press secretary of New York Mayor Eric Adams, said that the mayor is transparent about the measures authorities must take to create a safer city.

Levy said:

“Mayor Adams has made clear that public safety and keeping New Yorkers safe is his top priority. We are being honest with New Yorkers about the work that there is left to do.”

Karim Azizi is currently under police custody.