Horrifying moment New Yorker is sucked into sinkhole full of giant rats
Leonard Shoulders was waiting on a bus when he found himself collapsing into a hole filled with the Big Apple's famous vermin
This is the moment a New Yorker waiting for a bus found himself sucked into a sinkhole full of enormous rats. Leonard Shoulders suffered a close encounter with the Big Apple’s famous vermin after the Bronx sidewalk corner he was standing on gave way last weekend.
Recalling her son’s ordeal, Shoulders’ mother Cindy White said: ‘He was like, “Ma, the rats down there were ridiculous.” He was like, “They were like so big.” He was scared to yell out because he thought they were gonna go in his mouth.’
Surveillance footage obtained by NBC4 showed Shoulders trying desperately to find something to grab onto as the concrete beneath his feet began to give way – but without success.
The unfortunate walker ended up plummeting 12 to 15 feet into the bowels of the city, with concrete and debris raining down on his head afterwards.
Pedestrians who witnessed the sinkhole opening shouted down to Shoulders to give them a sign that he was okay – with the scurrying rats leaving the victim too fearful to do so. He was later taken to hospital for treatment.
White said: ‘He is traumatized. He said he went straight down. He said he was just falling, falling. But the debris was falling and hitting him in the head…
‘He’s alive, thank God.’
Shoulders is continuing to recover from his ordeal, with his family now demanding answers about the freak accident.
The collapsed sidewalk has been fenced off, with adjacent businesses also forced to close while inspectors work to determine what caused the sinkhole, and how to repair it.
New York’s Department of Buildings says it could also issue enforcement notices if anyone is found to be responsible for the sinkhole.
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