By Madina Toure
The NYPD said it has a person of interest in connection with the assault of a 21-year-old man by another man in College Point Park last week after it announced a reward of up to $2,500 to anyone with information on the assault.
Investigators said they have a person of interest and that they are looking to speak with him at this time, according to a police spokesman.
Around 6:12 p.m. June 15, police officers responded to a call about a man identified by police as Jean-Pierre Villanueva, who had been in a fight near the handball court of the park on 14th Avenue and College Point Boulevard, the police spokesman said.
Upon arrival, they discovered Villanueva lying on the floor with a cracked skull and blood surrounding his head, the spokesman said.
Villanueva was unresponsive, and was taken to New York Presbyterian Queens, the spokesman continued.
Villanueva remains in critical condition as of Wednesday morning, the spokesman added.
The NYPD Crime Stoppers poster includes a photo of the victim as well as the details about the incident and says Villanueva suffered severe head trauma and is in critical condition.
The police spokesman said a witness saw Villanueva fighting with another man near the handball court when the man struck him, knocking him down.
News reports said the two got into a fistfight and that the other man ran away.
The victim was on life support, the New York Daily News and NBC reported.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
