Homeless man dies after being beaten over defecating in Flatbush apartment building
Blomont lives next door to the laundromat, and a criminal complaint says a witness claims to have seen him beat Cole with a baseball bat and stomp on him.
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Police say a homeless man has died from his injuries after being beaten outside a laundromat on Bedford Avenue in Flatbush.
Police say they responded to the laundromat on March 17, 2024 and saw James Cole, who is homeless, lying on the ground after being hit in the head.
Police arrested Matthaat Blomont in connection to the incident.
Blomont lives next door to the laundromat, and a criminal complaint says a witness claims to have seen him beat Cole with a baseball bat and stomp on him.
According to court filings. Blomont denies using a baseball bat but says he pushed Cole after confronting him for going to the bathroom inside the hallway of the building.
The complaint says the attack put the 58-year-old into a coma. Police say this case is now considered a homicide after Cole died in November from his injuries.
PJ Sutton said they disturbed to hear the new details.
“It’s horrible. I mean of course you should be urinating in a building but if you’re homeless, I mean that’s not a response to that. We’re all human at the end of the day,” said Sutton.
Blomont was facing attempted murder and assault charges, but in the wake of the death, a grand jury could upgrade those charges.
