Man, 72, arrested for pushing 86-year-old out of elevator ‘to protect him and wife against Coronavirus’

A 72-year-old man has been arrested after pushing an 86-year-old man out of an elevator in a Miami Beach apartment, claiming he did it to protect himself and his wife from Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Nachem Gross, 72, faces charges of aggravated battery of an elderly person after CCTV footage from June 22 showed him pushing Gerald Steiglitz, 86, out of an elevator.

The footage shows Gross holding up his two fingers, believed to be in reference to the two-person elevator rule, before pushing Steiglitz, causing him to fall.

Gross has defended his actions, claiming he was trying to protect himself from coronavirus in line with the building’s rules around social distancing that allow only two people in the elevators at a time.

‘I saw him before in the building, in the swimming pool and the elevators. We always were friendly, hello, and that was it. But he could have said to me, ‘go down, take the next one,’ said Steiglitz.

‘He just pushed me out. I’m not looking for financial reward. I’m not looking for anything.’

Gross turned himself in to Miami Beach Police at around 9 a.m. Thursday to face the charges brought against him.