MIAMI, Florida — A 61-year-old woman was simply walking down the street on a Tuesday afternoon. She was not in an argument. She had no idea what was about to happen.
As she passed a man walking in the opposite direction, he swung at her face without warning, knocking her to the ground before running away.
That man, identified as Tavaris Greene, 40, has since been charged with felony battery.
A Sudden and Unprovoked Attack
The incident happened on Aug. 6 in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.
Surveillance footage from the area shows the victim walking alone when Greene, dressed in a black hoodie, approaches from the other direction. As the two pass each other, he punches her directly in the face.
She goes down. He walks away.
Business owners from nearby shops rushed outside to help her. One witness described the victim as bleeding heavily around her nose and cheek. Greene, she said, “just leaves her there.”
Neighbors Helped Catch Him
The business owners did not just help the victim — they helped find the attacker.
Several shop owners with surveillance cameras coordinated with detectives to piece together Greene’s movements. Witnesses noted he had been seen in the area recently, walking back and forth and talking to himself.
Police tracked him down within a couple of hours.
What Greene Told Police
When officers asked if he needed anything, Greene reportedly said he was “having a bad day because he punched someone.”
About an hour later, he told a detective the same thing — and added that he had smoked synthetic marijuana that day.
A judge later confirmed the victim suffered a fractured nose, lacerations to her left cheek, and will require sutures.
Greene is being held on $150,000 bond at a Miami correctional facility.
What do you think about what happened in Little Havana? Share your thoughts in the comments.