The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune staff reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A DOWNTOWN business manager believes a gang is behind two assaults he suffered, including one he claims left him nearly deaf in his left ear.

George Hamalian, 50, manager of DeLucci Fine Jewelry and Loose Diamonds, said the attacks are the latest in a string that have left him and his employees fearing for their lives.

Mr Hamalian said in the first attack, which he captured on camera and showed to The Tribune, tourists quickly exited his store on Tuesday after the suspect entered and began behaving belligerently “for no good reason”.

The video shows the suspect arguing with the store’s employees and later with Mr Hamalian, who tells him to stop harassing his employees.

The suspect tells Mr Hamalian to put away the camera because he didn’t want his picture taken.

But when he realises Mr Hamalian is recording what’s happening, he attacks him and appears to turn off his camera.

Mr Hamalian is seen crouching over, holding his face.

A medical report revealed that Mr Hamalian complained about “ringing in his left ear and an inability to hear from the affected ear”.

Mr Hamalian says he continues to have tremendous difficulty hearing from his left ear. It is not clear what caused the argument between the suspect and the employees of the store.

Mr Hamalian said that after he left a police station on Wednesday, he was pursued by the same suspect, who came from behind him near Park Lane Jewelers on Bay Street and assaulted him a second time, giving him “a big blow” to his side, causing him to fall eight to ten feet away.

He claims a new employee of his store was attacked at a city bar last weekend by a group of men who referred to him as “George’s mother [expletive].”

Mr Hamalian claims he and his employees have been threatened more than 30 times in the last few years by a “gang”.

He claims police have not taken their concerns seriously.

He said his business is being targeted because it is perceived as vulnerable.

Mr Hamalian said the problems he and his employees are facing threaten to mar the experience of tourists downtown.

He said: “Tourists think we have problem. Many times they come in and then the people come in and harass us with no regards for them. They want to make sure that they always destroy our ability to conduct business.”