Queens woman attacked and robbed outside apartment speaks out
Debbie Villanueva moved to Rockaway Beach from Brooklyn seeking tranquility but faced a traumatic attack outside her new home. Late Friday night, while carrying packages into her apartment, she was ambushed by a group of men.
“One guy showed up in front of the steps, and then I saw the other guy coming around the car,” Villanueva recalled. Realizing she was in danger, she told her sister to call 911. Despite her efforts, Villanueva was punched, causing her to black out when her head hit the sidewalk. The assailants rifled through her pockets, stole her car keys, and fled in her rental car.
“This could have happened to anybody. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Villanueva said. Her building on Beach 96th St. is just steps away from the NYPD’s 100th Precinct, making the incident even more shocking.
Villanueva is recovering from a concussion and physical injuries, including a head gash that required staples. She expressed uncertainty about the emotional impact, stating, “Emotionally I don’t know yet… I’m gonna take it one day at a time, what else can I do?”
Police officers eventually recovered Villanueva’s car in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, but they have not yet found the five men who attacked her and stole the car.
Queens woman attacked and robbed outside apartment speaks out
