NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A homeless man is in custody in relation to the Tuesday morning mugging of NYPD Chief Chaplain Rabbi Alvin Kass, police said late Tuesday afternoon.
Rafael Diaz, 39, was charged with robbery and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was slapped with the latter charge because was allegedly found with a crack pipe on his person.
The attack occurred at around 5:45 a.m., as Kass, 84, was on his morning walk near West 107th Street and Riverside Drive.The suspect demanded money and began to riffle through Kass' pockets saying "I'm hungry, I need food," ABC-TV reports.
After a brief scuffle ensued, the rabbi fell and injured his shoulder.
The attacker fled with the rabbi's cash and police shield, which he later dropped, the report adds.He refused medical attention at the scene.Four years ago, Kass— the longest-serving member of the NYPD— was also mugged on the Upper West Side while walking on Riverside Drive between West 83rd and West 84th streets and suffered minor injuries.
