Ashikur Chowdhury, a victim of an attempted robbery in Central Park, fought back when two teenage robbers, one armed with a gun, tried to mug him on a walking trail. Chowdhury, who is 6’2” and over 200-pounds, had been out walking for much of the day and was headed home to Harlem when the teens tried to grab his phone on the darkened trail. Despite the presence of an armed robber, he challenged the teens by saying, “You don’t have the balls to shoot me,” and became the aggressor in the situation.
The initial teenage robber pointed a pistol towards Chowdhury’s face while demanding his phone during the frightening incident. Despite the fear and uncertainty of the situation, Chowdhury found himself thinking about his loved ones such as his mother, friends, and the kids he works with as a kindergarten paraprofessional at an Upper East Side school. Considering his brother is an NYPD lieutenant, he decided to make a police report because he thought his brother would be disappointed if something happened to him and he didn’t take any action.
Chowdhury, recognizing the rise in crime in Central Park, expressed disappointment at the uptick in criminal activity, especially considering that the park was staying out of the headlines for a while. He feels lucky to have escaped the situation without any harm, realizing how dangerous the situation could have been if the robber had decided to pull the trigger. Despite the fear and shock of the attempted robbery, he empathized with the teenagers, wondering why they would risk so much for a phone.
As a teacher, Chowdhury’s first instinct was to empathize with the teenage robbers, questioning their motives for attempting the robbery. He thought about the consequences it could have had on his life and the lives of those around him. Despite feeling lucky to have escaped the situation without any harm, he is saddened by the increase in crime in Central Park and hopes that the area will return to a safer state soon. By standing up to the robbers and reporting the incident to the police, Chowdhury hopes to prevent others from falling victim to similar crimes in the future.
