Thug who whacked man with a baseball bat on NYC street is released on bail

A thug who used a baseball bat to clock a homeless person over the head in New York City was released on bail for $7,500 on Wednesday night.

Karim Azizi, 36, was arrested at his Harlem home after police released surveillance footage him striking the 47-year-old man over the head last Tuesday.

After making bail, his lawyer Jason Goldman told DailyMail.com: ‘Karim is a lifelong New Yorker and a father of three who has never so much as jay-walked in his life. There’s more to this story than what meets the eye.’

Police believe that there was a ‘verbal altercation’ between Azizi and the homeless man before the broad daylight attack on the streets of New York. 

Karim Azizi (center), 36, posted $7,500 bail on Wednesday night after he was arrested earlier in the day for striking a 47-year-old man over the head with a baseball bat

Azizi (right) is being represented by criminal defense attorney Jason Goldman (left) who told DailyMail.com that ‘there’s more to this story than what meets the eye’

In the harrowing clip, Azizi can be seen approaching the homeless man before whacking him from behind with the bat. 

However, his defense attorney claims there is more to the story.

Azizi, who is a father-of-three and a life-long New Yorker, was arrested around the corner from where the incident took place – outside a Chinese takeaway in Hamilton Heights. 

He was booked on charges of attempted assault, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. 

On Wednesday night, he was photographed leaving court with his criminal defense attorney Goldman after making the $7,500 bail.

Just hours before on Wednesday afternoon, Azizi was photographed before being booked into Manhattan Central Booking.

He appeared sheepish in a video of the perp-walk – as hoards of press photographed him being escorted towards a squad car with shackled legs.

Karim Azizi (pictured left), 36, was transferred to Central Booking on Wednesday afternoon after his arrest for hitting a man over the head with a baseball bat in Harlem

 Azizi (center) was arrested by the NYPD on Wednesday morning at his home in Harlem

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His arrest happened after police released footage of the brutal incident – which shows the suspect walking behind the victim outside a Chinese takeaway Golden Wok on 1770 Amsterdam Avenue.

He sped up slightly to catch a glimpse of the man’s face and fumbled with the baseball bat, which was being stowed in the right leg of his pants.

Azizi was wearing a black tracksuit outfit with Nike branding on his top. He was also wearing a mask that covered much of his face, but which slipped from time to time.

The pedestrian he struck was in a red puffer jacket. 

He then pulled the bat fully from his pants before swinging it with force at the 47-year-old’s head from behind, causing him to immediately collapse forward. 

The suspect then walked away before shortly returning to taunt the man on the ground – before making off for good.

The victim was rushed to a hospital in Harlem with a gash to his head and bruises but was in a stable condition after the attack.

Surveillance footage showed Azizi attack a pedestrian walking in Harlem with a baseball bat

Azizi was seen on the surveillance footage leaving the scene in a black tracksuit 

Azizi was arrested at his home in Harlem, according to police, just a few hundred meters from where the attack happened

The crime took place at around 8am on Tuesday November 29 outside the Golden Wok takeaway in Hamilton Heights