Family War Leads to Driveway Beating
Neighbor in critical condition after fight
NBC10
The beating victim's sister Victoria Mirzayan said the families have been fighting for years because of differing religious beliefs.
An ongoing feud between two families came to a head Monday afternoon landing an elderly man in the hospital and a young man in jail.
Amir Sheikh, 23, beat his neighbor George Mirzayan, 74, on their Upper Darby street, police said.
Mirzayan was taken to HUP in critical condition with fractures to his nose, jaw and face.
No one is really sure when exactly or how the fight started.
Police believe it may have been over a parking space, but families of both men have differing stories.
Mirzayan's sister Victoria Mirzayan said Sheikh began yelling at her for no reason, calling her a "bitch" after she spit at him.
Sheikh's brother Salman Sheikh offered quite the opposite story saying the elderly man started with his brother.
"He got in my brother's face and he was like 'You look like a pimp' and then he push my brother," said Salman Sheikh.
The families have been fighting for years, according to neighbors. Some said they argue over nothing, but Victoria Mirzayan believes differing religious views caused the rift.
"We're Christians and they're Muslims and they don't believe in Christianity," Mirzayan told NBC10's Byron Scott.
Sheikh, who does not have a prior criminal record, was charged with aggravated and simple assault.
He will be arraigned Tuesday morning.
Posted Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 9:01 PM EST
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