The 77-year-old victim, identified Wednesday as Bernard Fairman, of Jupiter, who was brutally attacked in a shopping center parking lot, has died from his injuries.
Palm Beach Gardens Police are calling this one of the most horrendous and heinous crimes they’ve seen. They're leaving no stone unturned to try and track down a person of interest who was seen on surveillance video in the area at the time of the robbery.
"We are asking for the public's help with this," said Maj. Paul Rogers, Palm Beach Gardens Police.
Fairman was walking out of the Stein Mart off US 1 when police say he was robbed in the parking lot and brutally beaten.
A witness, who does not want to be identified, saw an older couple try to jump in and help as he yelled at the suspect to stop.
"The next thing I saw was the younger man kind of throw the elderly lady on the ground and try taking her purse," the witness said.
The attack happened around 8 p.m. on September 11, 2018. The man captured on camera is not being called a suspect, but police would like to speak with him.
"We know he was there and we're looking to talk with him to see what he knows and get more information to see what he may have witnessed," Rogers said.
Police would not release too many specifics because it is still an active investigation, but the motive appears to be robbery.
The young man who witnessed the attack said he wishes he could have done more.
"I was really optimistic he was going to make it out okay, and I was hoping he would be okay in the end," he said. "It's just sad we have people out here that kill old people and rob them, and they're still walking around with no worries in their head."
Police said tips have been coming in after releasing the surveillance video and they are following up on leads.
Anyone who may have witnessed the attack is being asked to contact Palm Beach Gardens Police.
