Staff Reports
A decorated Delta Force veteran finds himself in a nightmare that feels more like a bad script from a Hollywood movie than reality. Mark Antal was simply waiting outside a pilates studio for his daughters when he was ambushed by a homeless individual with a storied criminal past, resulting in a trip to the hospital and raising alarm bells about safety in New York City.
Antal’s alleged assailant, 44-year-old James Lawson, must have been living by the motto “might makes right” when he confronted Antal, insisting he was on “his street.” Yes, nothing says community like hitting a veteran in the head with a brick. A casual day of dad duty turned into a battle scenario, as Antal, who has seen his fair share of real conflict, managed to subdue Lawson until police could arrive. One has to wonder if the real crime here is the lack of common sense in addressing rising crime in the Big Apple.
Christine Antal, Mark’s wife, expressed her deep concern over the incident, emphasizing how their children, who had just returned from delivering aid to war-torn Ukraine, were now terrified in their very own neighborhood. What a world when kids feel safer in a war zone than at home! This begs the question: have cities like New York gone so far left that they have forgotten how to maintain law and order?
Delta Force Operator Hospitalized After Brutal Run-In with Deranged NYC Homeless Man: Report: The “hero vet’s” family is worried he may have brain damage after the horrific run-in. https://t.co/LPw7d06dHI pic.twitter.com/YVFa36QubQ
— The Western Journal (@West_Journal) April 15, 2025
Lawson isn’t exactly a newcomer to the world of crime, either. With a rap sheet documenting prior offenses including multiple felonies, it’s astonishing he was even on the streets to begin with. Released without bail after his last escapade in April, Lawson’s repeated offenses serve as a glaring example of the failed soft-on-crime policies that continue to plague liberal cities. How many more veterans need to be victims before these polices are reevaluated?
The cries for more police presence in Greenwich Village have become deafening, even from residents who once loudly trumpeted progressive values. Community members like Trevor Sumner have had enough of liberalism that prioritizes ideology over the safety of residents. It seems that even the most ardent supporters of leniency are beginning to realize that criminals being given free rein only leads to more chaos—not peace.
Perhaps it’s time for those in power to acknowledge that their approach to crime is not just misguided; it’s downright dangerous. Antal’s experience might serve as a wakeup call, not just for his neighborhood but for blue cities across the nation. If a man who defended his entire country must fight for his safety at home, what does that say about the state of America?
