Blog

COVID-19 Mask Dispute Leads to TBI and Death

(Dear Friends, with COVID-19 present, whether you believe in wearing a mask or don’t, please try and refrain from getting into a confrontation.) 

An 80-year-old man from West Seneca, New York died on October 1, from injuries sustained after asking a patron at his local bar to wear a mask, the New York Times reports.

On September 26, Rocco Sapienza was shoved to the ground inside Pamp’s Red Zone Bar & Grill by 65-year-old Donald Lewinski, after Sapienza confronted him about not covering his mouth and nose to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Sapienza fell backwards and hit his head on the bar floor, losing consciousness shortly thereafter. Lewinski paid his tab and left while Sapienza was taken to Erie County Medical Center. Doctors performed brain surgery to try and stabilize the elderly man, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

The Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn called the incident “beyond sad” while speaking with NYT.
“These kinds of situations have continued to escalate, and this should cause everyone to pause and think twice now about how we as a society want to conduct ourselves during this pandemic,” he said.(Complex.com)