A 23-year-old woman who was brutally beaten and raped in downtown Flushing last week was taken off life support Friday and officially pronounced dead.

The incident occurred in an alley along 41st Road on Saturday, May 22, at 9:30 p.m. The woman was returning from the grocery store when she was ambushed and beaten over the head with a metal pipe. Her attacker then dragged her into the alley, undressed her from the waist down, and proceeded to rape her with the pipe.

The woman suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain, and vaginal trauma. She was taken to New York Hospital Queens where she was placed on life support while doctors worked around the clock to keep her alive.

A witness who saw a man drag the victim into the alley and then emerge alone immediately called 911. Shortly after the incident, police arrested Carlos Salazar Cruz, 28, near the scene of the crime. The pipe was recovered about a block from where the attack took place.

Cruz was originally arraigned on numerous charges, including attempted murder. However, with the death of the victim, those charges will be upgraded to homicide.

Family members of the Jackson Heights residents told several news sources that the Mexican immigrant was so drunk that he blacked out and has no recollection of the incident.

"The brutal attack and sexual assault allegedly carried out by the defendant was apparently unprovoked," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown in a statement following Cruz's arraignment.

The woman has not been identified by police pending the arrival of the victim's mother and other relatives from her native Beijing, China. Congressman Gary Ackerman and Assemblywoman Grace Meng secured expedited visas for the family members, and they were expected to arrive Monday evening in Newark.

The victim had come to the United States just two months earlier and was living with an uncle in Flushing. She worked at an area nail salon, saving money to one day attend school.

“It breaks my heart that a young woman with her entire life ahead of her was horrifically raped and beaten,” said Meng. “Our community should be able to walk along the streets in the evening without fearing for their life.”

Both Meng and Councilman Peter Koo called for a greater police presence in downtown Flushing in the wake of the incident.

"This crime has sent shock waves through our community and everything must be done to prevent violent crimes from occurring on our streets," said Koo, who added that he would be meeting with the commanding officer of the 109th Precinct.