Two Seniors Badly Beaten in Barbershop Attack

After a vicious attack inside his Waterbury barber shop, an 83-year-old man and his 70-year-old customer are in serious condition at a local hospital.

Elaine Rosa returned to her husband's barber shop Wednesday morning, still in shock over what happened to her husband, John, and his customer, Douglas Frink.

Lt. Chris Corbett with the Waterbury police department says this is one of the most brutal attacks the department has seen in recent history, calling the brutality "unimaginable".

Police confirm both men were hit in the head with an unidentified blunt object that left them with multiple injuries to their skulls.

"Everybody knows what a wonderful man my husband is," she told NBC Connecticut.  "We've been married for 49 years this past September. He's a wonderful husband, a wonderful father and good to everybody. I don't know who could do this to John and his customer."

Waterbury police were back out on Hill Street this morning canvassing the neighborhood and stopping people at a roadblock.

They believe a man entered John Rosa's barber shop just before 8:00 Tuesday morning, then proceeded to assault both men during a robbery.

Another customer arrived for a haircut shortly after the robbery and discovered the two men badly beaten.

John Rosa's barbershop is an institution in the Brass City. He has been cutting hair at
300 Hill Street for 30 years, and in the city for more than 50 years.

People just can't understand how someone could do this.  David Valerio lives next door to the barbershop and says, "You ever need anything he would hand it right to you."

An undisclosed amount of cash was stolen from the shop. Police say they have some strong leads and won't stop until they catch the person responsible for this attack.

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