NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The NYPD is investigating the death of a Brooklyn Uber passenger who was assaulted and robbed in the backseat of the for-hire-car by a pair of muggers on Tuesday night.
Michael Shelonchik, 53, was riding in the back seat of an Uber on Neptune Avenue, near West 5th Street in Coney Island, at about 6 p.m. when two men opened the back door, cops said.
According to officials, the assailants punched Shelonchik in the head and face before robbing him of his chain and fleeing the scene on foot.
The driver drove off and didn't stop until he realized Shelonchik was unconscious near East 3rd Street and Avenue Y in Gravesend.
Police said that Shelonchik appeared to have suffered a medical episode and was taken to Maimonides Medical Center by private means, police said. Once at the hospital, he was pronounced dead.
The incident was first flagged by police as a DOA investigation, but the incident is now being classified as a robbery investigation. More charges against the muggers could be added once Shelonchik's official cause of death is determined by the medical examiner's office.
Police on Wednesday evening released surveillance images of the suspects, who are thought to both be men in their 20s.
One of the alleged muggers was last seen wearing a black hooded coat, blue sweatpants and white sneakers, while the other was last clad in a black hooded coat, black pants and black sneakers. Both men were wearing balaclavas.
1010 WINS spoke with Shelonchik's 27-year-old daughter Taylor, who was expecting to have dinner with her father on the night of his death.
“We do literally everything together," she said. "I called him to see what we’re eating for dinner when the police answered the phone.”
Despite the uncertainty around Shelonchik's cause of death, Taylor said it had to be because of the beating.
“He was coming home, he visited a friend. He jumped in an Uber and I know he definitely was assaulted. It definitely is foul play," she said. "He was young. It was his birthday two days ago. His birthday is [Jan.] 19.”
Taylor said that Shelonchik's "girls" (her and her sister Lexi, their mother Jennifer and his mother Chaya) are the most important thing to him. He worked as an entrepreneur and enjoyed building businesses for himself, she said.
“He did different stuff, clothes, accessories, he was doing slime, just whatever he could make his money. Whatever he could do a quick flip with, he was an entrepreneur," Taylor said. "He liked to make quick money, he liked to work for himself.”
It is not yet clear if Shelonchik knew his attackers or if the assault was targeted.
There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.