Badly beaten professor dies; suspect cites 'bad spirits'

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - An 87-year-old man who was brutally beaten and robbed inside a Citibank ATM vestibule in Manhattan on Sunday has died, according to police, who have a suspect in custody.

Young Kun Kim died at Mount Sinai Medical Center on Thursday afternoon, the NYPD said. He was a retired professor from Lehman College in the Bronx.

Authorities arrested Matthew Lee, 50, on Wednesday and charged him with robbery and assault. As detectives walked him from the precinct to a police car, reporters asked him if he did it.

"I don't remember," he said, according to a video posted by the Daily News. "Something is not right. Bad spirits or something."

Kim's family released a statement thanking the NYPD and Mount Sinai "for their professionalism and support."

"Please take comfort in the fact that he was surrounded by loved ones and family, and that he was not in pain, even in his last moments," the family said in the statement. "There is no way to make sense of this attack, but perhaps it can serve as an urgent reminder that we need more love and compassion in this world."

Last year, Lehman College honored Kim, an associate professor of political science, for 50 years of service.

In a statement, Interim Provost Harriet Fayne said that students, staff, and faculty members loved Kim and are deeply saddened by his tragic death. She said Kim led a life of "commitment to peace."

"We hope that one day his hope for peace will become a reality, and that love will prevail throughout our world," Fayne said. "His expertise in political thought was unparalleled; his kindness was renowned throughout the campus and beyond."