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Arrest Made In Attack On South Beach Tourists

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami Beach Police have arrested a 36-year-old man who they said beat up two tourists near a bus stop bench on Collins Avenue.

The brutal beatdown happened on Friday near the corner of 9th Street. Police said a man and woman, visiting South Beach from New Hampshire, were walking on the sidewalk when Michael Albert stood up from a bus stop bench and punched the tourists about 10 times.

"Completely senseless act and entirely unprovoked," said Mitch Novick, whose surveillance cameras at his Sherbrooke Hotel across the street captured the incident. "Very disturbing."

Police said the man needed stitches and the woman had a swollen eye from being punched in the face.

What sparked the seemingly unprovoked attack is still not clear, but Novick said it's scenes like this which forced him to close down his South Beach hotel.

"I'm not going to open up my building in a crime zone," Novick said. "In fact, I get calls every day from guests who I've been accommodating for over 30 years, and I advise them to find alternative vacation destinations."

Novick said he spoke with the owner of the hotel where the couple had been staying. He said they have no plans on returning to South Beach.

"Unfortunately, it is the image Miami Beach has been presenting to the world for a number of years now," said Novick.

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