2 cousins brutally beaten, 1 fatally, in NYC clash with for-hire driver: cops

Police were searching Thursday for a car service driver suspected of beating a man to death and seriously wounding his cousin during a fight near the latter’s Brooklyn home early Thursday.

Carlos Guaman, 66, and his 52-year-old cousin, who was not publicly identified, had just gotten dropped off on West 9th Street near Avenue T in Gravesend around 4:40 a.m. when they got into a fight with the man behind the wheel, cops said. 

The driver pummeled both men in their heads – leaving them unconscious on the ground outside the car, authorities said.

The victims suffered head trauma and were rushed to Maimonides Medical Center, where Guaman was pronounced dead and his relative was listed in critical but stable condition, authorities said. 

The suspect drove off after the attack, heading north on West 9th Street, cops said.

The younger cousin – who had been drinking and was still highly intoxicated after the attack – told investigators he did not remember what happened, according to law enforcement sources.

The deadly assault was captured on doorbell camera footage, the sources said.

John Senia, 37, a custodian who had lived on the block his whole life, said he “saw about eight police cars” when he left his home around 5 a.m. 

“I live on this block so I would want to know what the hell was going on,” he said.

“I didn’t hear anything. I think you’d hear people yelling and screaming. It’s a quiet neighborhood.”

Another neighbor who only identified himself as Tedo, 36, said he is “feeling very bad” after hearing of the bloodshed. 

“Somebody died – it’s my neighbor,” said Tedo, who owns a trucking company and drives a cab.

“I’ve been living in this neighborhood for almost 9 years and [this] has never, never happened here. I don’t see anybody fighting, it’s always a quiet neighborhood.”

“It is so bad, what happened and so near to Christmas,” he added.

A woman who lives in the neighborhood was angry when she returned to her home near the crime scene in the late afternoon.

“This is awful. No matter what happened, you don’t have to beat up somebody and kill them,” said the local, who did not want to be identified.

“What about these people’s family?  Do you think about what they are going through, what you are putting them through?” she said.

“I don’t know them but I feel bad for the family,” the woman added.

“My condolences to the family. Whoever did this is an animal.”