CASE DESCRIPTION OF NON-LETHAL BEATINGS BY MONTH, DATE, AND CITY IN 2007:

TOTAL ATTACKS: 110

JANUARY

Lakeside, California

Transient and Station Clerk Attacked by Three Juveniles

January 25: Three juveniles attacked a transient and the clerk at a Shell gas station after the clerk tried to help the victim.

The police are holding three juveniles who admitted to committing the attacks. According to a report in the San Diego Union Tribune, the youth, “got into an altercation with the transient outside a Shell gas station.”

When the clerk attempted to assist the homeless man, he was also beaten. The clerk managed to obtain a weapon that one of the youth dropped and used it to run them from the store, but not before being beaten so badly that he had to be hospitalized.

During the attack, the juveniles struck both victims with a pool stick that the transient had been carrying.

The three attackers fled the scene in a blue four-door sedan.

Leesburg, Florida

47-Year-Old Charged with Attempted Homicide

January 28:  Richard C. Wilson, 47, was arrested on an attempted homicide charge after being accused of nearly killing a homeless man by means of kicking and stomping him more than 20 times.

A witness reported watching Wilson attack the 48-year-old homeless man near an abandoned railroad bed, dragging his body along a nearby embankment following the beating.

The homeless man was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center after suffering extensive trauma to his face and partially losing consciousness.

FEBRUARY

Lawrence, Kansas

KU Students Respond To Two Violent Attacks against Homeless Individuals in Kansas This Month

February:  After two homeless people were attacked in Lawrence in February, Shannon Williams and Jenni Holtaway, two Kansas University students, wanted to do something to put an end to “bum bashing” both in Lawrence and across the U.S.

On May 5, 144 donated sleeping bags were put on display in South Park intended to symbolize the 144 homeless people attacked nationwide last year.  Each sleeping bag was tagged with the name of a victim of violence. 

Following the display the sleeping bags were donated to the Lawrence Community Center and Salvation Army. 

Cleveland, Ohio

6 Homeless People Brutally Beaten By Young Men

February ‘07-May ‘07:  Cleveland homeless advocates say the brutal beatings of at least 6 homeless people, taking place between February 2007 and May 2007, occurred at the hands of young men armed with baseball bats and pipes.

Two victims reported their attackers were short-haired young men driving a black Trans Am.  Other attackers were described as teenage boys on bikes with shaved heads.   Local advocates for the homeless are worried these attacks are hate crimes. 

Corpus Christi, Texas

Teens Videotape the Planned Beating and Robbery of a Homeless Man

February 8: Austin Bires, 15, and Cody Lavender, 17, used a stolen video camera to record themselves beating and robbing a homeless man.  The woman whose camera was stolen found the tape still in the camera when it was returned to her and turned it in to the police.

According to police, one teen narrates what they are about to do before they attack.  Commander David Torres, quoted in a CNN report, said “After the narration, two of the kids take off running, full speed, and one of them just drop-kicks the homeless man with both feet on the guy’s back.” 

Police say the teens came up behind the victim and kicked him and slammed his head onto the pavement.  Torres describes, “They actually grab him and flip him around to film his injuries”... “And I’m telling you, the way they filmed it – the closeness – they put it together where you can tell it was planned out.”

Police would not identify the victim, who was treated for a concussion among other injuries.  Bires faces six years of tight probation and is required to spend two hours per day, seven days a week cleaning bedpans at area nursing homes. 

Redlands, California

Teenager Beats a Homeless Man and Records It on His Cell Phone

February 21:  Local police received a call reporting that a group of people was punching and kicking Gregory Thelander, a 40-year-old homeless man.  The police arrived after the attackers fled the scene.

A 15-year-old Redlands boy was arrested in conjunction with the investigation, after his parents overheard him bragging about the attack and discovered the recorded video on his cell phone.

Although Gregory Thelander did not wish to press charges, the juvenile’s mother insisted that her son turn himself in. The juvenile was cited for assault and released back to his mother.

Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Homeless Man Attacked and Kidnapped

February 26: A homeless man was kidnapped in Bayamón by city employees who hit him and sprayed him with pepper spray. Fortunately, he was able to be rescued by police in Carolina.

MARCH 

Oakland, California

Homeless Man Stabbed with a Sword

March 3: A 43-year-old homeless man was stabbed in the stomach with an 11-inch samurai sword by an unidentified attacker.

While sleeping in the doorway of a building, the homeless man was disturbed by the loud voices of two men. The victim told officers that after he got up he approached the men and told them to leave, pushing one. In response, the man who was pushed hit the homeless man over the head with a scabbard that contained the sword.

The two began to fight and the homeless man was stabbed. Soon after, the attacker fled the scene and the victim was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for the stab wound and the hit to the head. He is expected to recover. Police have little information about the perpetrator and have asked for help in arresting the suspect.

Ellenton, Florida

Angry Driver Punched Homeless Man in the Face for Jaywalking

March 5:  Shannon Dale Adams, 32, got out of his car and punched a 59-year-old homeless man in the face for blocking his right of way.   Adams claims his actions were in self-defense and that the man threatened him with a weapon. Police found no weapons and an eyewitness said the fight was unprovoked.  Adams was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery.

West Palm Beach, Florida

Homeless Man Attacked, Part of a Growing Trend

March 10:  Jack Cobb, 44, was walking to a convenience store to buy cigarettes when a van pulled up and four men got out and started beating him.  One man used a baseball bat while the others punched and kicked him.  His wrists, which he used to protect his face, were so badly injured that he still could not move them a week later.  He obtained injuries on his back and legs, and his glasses were broken during the attack.  Cobb says he is so scared to walk down the street now that he spends all day in a church.  “I’m just staying right around here,” he told Sun-Sentinel news.  

Sun-Sentinel reporter, Howard Goodman, explained, “Beating up on the homeless has become a sick kind of national sport.”  In Goodman’s article, Stephen Johnson, an administrator at Westgate Tabernacle Church, says he has seen between six and eight cases of brutality against the homeless in the last several weeks.  In response to this disturbing trend, State Rep. Priscilla Taylor, has drafted a bill that would make crimes committed based on the victims’ status as homeless a hate crime under Florida law.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Group of Homeless People Attacked By Group of Teens While Sleeping

Mid-March:  Five homeless men, ages ranging from 30-50 years old, were attacked while they were sleeping under a bridge.  Tom Skinner, Brian Leath, John Landry, David Wickizer, and Randle Shawn Pearson are friends who look out for each other.  They were attacked by five white teenagers on bicycles.  A police officer was contacted; however nothing was done and there is no record of a report.

Daytona Beach, Florida

Beating from 17-Year-Old and Two 10-Year-Olds Sent Homeless Man to Hospital

March 27:  17-year-old, Jeremy Woods, and two 10-year-old boys, Drew and Jordan, were arrested for severely beating John D’Amico, a 58-year-old homeless army veteran.  The last names of the 10-year-olds have not been released due to their ages. 

According to reports, at first the boys saw a different homeless man, James Seaman, riding his bike and threatened to beat and kill him.  When they saw D’Amico and his friend, Mike Wantland, walking down Mulberry Street the three boys started following them on their bikes.  The kids started throwing pebbles and rocks at the men.  The two men ran from the kids; however the boys continued to chase them.  After a few blocks, the three boys got off their bikes, and the oldest, Jeremy Woods, punched D’Amico in the face.  The punch caused D’Amico to slam into a block wall which broke apart on impact.  Then the two 10-year-olds began punching and kicking him.  One 10-year-old picked up a concrete cinder block and dropped it on D’Amico’s Face. 

When Police came, D’Amico was covered in blood and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Wantland suffered only minor injuries.  D’Amico described his condition after the attack to the Gainesville Sun, saying, “I can’t hear.  I can’t see well.  I just hope the kid gets some help.”  D’Amico’s eye is seriously injured and he now faces $24,000 in medical bills.  The attack occurred at around 8:30 pm on a school night.  D’Amico, known as “Big John,” works day labor as a security guard and is a 6’2’’and a 225-pound man.  He reported that he didn’t fight back as the kids were attacking him. “I’m not going to start fighting a 10-year-old.”

Jordan was sentenced to stay in the high-risk detention facility with mental health counseling up to age 21.  Drew received a reduced sentence for his testimony against the other suspects in the case.  He was sentenced to a juvenile detention center with mental health treatment for at least six months.  Jeremy Woods is being charged as an adult with aggravated battery.

Laguna Beach, California

Homeless Man Stabbed By Gang Member in Laguna Beach

March 28:  Jimmy Alexander Carvajal, 22, was arrested for stabbing John Wilson, a 47-year-old homeless man.  Wilson was found lying on the sidewalk bleeding from a stab wound in his abdomen.  Wilson was taken to a nearby hospital for care.  Witnesses reported seeing Carvajal, a member of the gang MS-13, stab Wilson after an argument.  Police have not found the weapon because Carvajal ditched it while fleeing the scene.  Carvajal has been taken into custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Single Homeless Man Attacked In Park

Late March: A single homeless man was attacked while he slept alone one night on a park bench. There is no record of a police report.

APRIL

Cleveland, Ohio

Homeless Man Assaulted Under Bridge

Early-April:  A 39-year-old homeless man was sleeping under a bridge at around midnight when two teenage boys approached him.  They beat him for five to ten minutes with a two-by-four piece of wood.  They stole the $10 from his wallet and left him bleeding from a large gash to his head.  This man reported that when he slept in this area before, kids had robbed him and set his tent on fire.  He now sleeps in a different space.  The man was treated for head injuries, as well as other lacerations.  The suspects were never caught.

Boston, Massachusetts

Two Homeless Men Beaten by Teens

April 4: Two homeless Latino men, ages 22 and 32, were attacked and beaten by a group of white teenagers, who shouted, “We don’t want Spanish here,” as they smashed bottles over the men’s heads, stabbed them with broken glass, and kicked them. Police are investigating the case to learn whether the attack should be considered a racially-based hate crime and if the attack is connected to another attack on a homeless person earlier this year. The two men, who stay at the St. Francis House day shelter, were treated for non-life threatening injuries at Boston Medical Center. None of the attackers have been apprehended.

Austin, Texas

Homeless Man Attacked By a Group of Men While Sleeping

April 6:  Veteran Aaron Anderson was assaulted by five men while sleeping in a sleeping bag on a sidewalk. He suffered a fractured left leg, trauma to the head, and multiple cuts and contusions.  No suspects have been identified and the victim’s current status is unknown.

MAY

Corpus Christi, Texas

Man Beaten and Assaulted while Sleeping on Park Bench

May 2: Around 4 am, 32-year-old Randy Hazen woke up surrounded by four men who demanded that Hazen get off of their bench. They chased Hazen, forced him to strip off his clothes, give them his wallet, and then punched him repeatedly until he ran naked into Radisson Beach Hotel. Police are searching for the attackers.

Ponce, Puerto Rico

Homeless Man Brutally Beaten By Teens after Panhandling At a Gas Station

May 6:  Brando Smith Luna, 35, was attacked on Sunday at around 9:30 pm by a group of teenagers who were apparently angry that Luna was panhandling at a gas station.  The beating left him with several injuries to the head and multiple fractures elsewhere.  There are no updates on his condition or whether anyone has been arrested.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Patrick Addison and Loyal Friend Mark Luther Were Attacked in Broad Daylight

May 8:  Patrick Addison, a homeless man living in Colorado Springs, was attacked in broad daylight.  According to reports, Addison was beaten by three or four white men with sticks and pipes at 10:15 am in Monument Valley Park.  Addison’s friend, Mark Luther, tried to find the attackers a few hours later and unfortunately encountered them.  Luther was beaten so badly he suffered internal injuries and required nine stitches in his head.  These were two of several attacks against homeless people in Colorado Springs in recent weeks.  James, a homeless man living in the area, explained to The Gazette in Colorado Springs, “You know why they do it?”...“They think no one is going to care.”

Cleveland, Ohio 

A Homeless Couple Beaten and Beloved Puppy Stolen

May 11:  A homeless couple was brutally beaten and their puppy was stolen by a group of six men driving a black Trans Am. Gunner Maynard and Barbara Butler, who were living in a campsite, reported that the men first approached asking to buy the couple’s puppy, a four-month-old Pit Bull-boxer-terrier mix named Train.  The couple refused to sell their dog.  The men returned later that night with a baseball bat and a knife.  Gunner had many bruises on his head from the beating and Barbara was left with a broken collarbone.  After the beating, the men stole the puppy.  Two nights later they returned with more than twice the number of people and threatened to burn the campsite down.  The couple has since relocated. This incident is one of many this year, occurring throughout a two to three month period.

Dania Beach, Florida

A 19-Year-Old Is Arrested For Shooting Homeless Man with Paint-Ball Gun

May 13:  Julio Lara, 19, was arrested for shooting Gordon R. Parks, a 37-year-old homeless man, with a paint-ball gun at 10 pm on a Sunday.  Miami Herald reports that Lara explained to police that he did it “just to have fun.”  Once police arrived they found Park’s right arm splattered with green paint and a “dime-sized” cut bleeding on his right forearm.  Parks told police he was riding his bike when two young men in a white pickup shot him with the paint-ball gun.  Parks thought he was shot by a real gun and the impact knocked him off his bike. 

Lakeland, Florida

Cops Witness Beating of an Elderly Homeless Man

May 18:  Several police officers dressed in plainclothes were patrolling Memorial Boulevard when they witnessed four teenage boys attack Cutis Johnson, 63.  It was 12:30 am when the boys approached Johnson, who was sleeping behind a Rent-A-Wheel auto shop.  They started punching and shouting and cursing at him to get up.  Johnson rose to his feet and ran from the teens.  The boys chased after him throwing rocks and beer bottles.  One bottle hit Johnson in the right elbow resulting in dislocation and a deep gash.  While three boys harassed Johnson, one boy searched through Johnson’s possessions.  The police halted the attack and arrested the young teens, Dexter Davis, 15, David Truedell, 13, Etoy Love, 14, and Wesley Delancy, 15.  They are charged with strong-arm robbery and aggravated battery.  Truedell faces additional charges for resisting arrest.  Johnson was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center for care.  Local police, advocates, and homeless people in the area agree that attacks on the homeless, especially by groups of teens, are far too common. 

Tampa, Florida

Homeless Man Beaten and Robbed By 10-15 Youths

May 30:  Billy Wilson, 46, was sleeping in Rowlett Park on Wednesday at around 4:00 pm when a group of between 10 and 15 teenage boys began punching and kicking him.  While the others were beating Wilson, one boy stole the money out of Wilson’s pocket.  After the robbery, they fled the scene.  Wilson had minor injuries and did not seek medical treatment.

No further information about the suspects could be found.

Lakeland, Florida

Homeless Man Attacked and Robbed

May 30: According to a Lakeland Police report, Gary Hawkins, 49, was sleeping on the sidewalk near Talbot House Ministries, a homeless shelter, when he was attacked and robbed by two or three men.  The men proceeded to kick and hit Hawkins in the head while he slept on the ground. Hawkins was unable to clearly see his assailants who will face charges of strong-arm robbery once identified and caught.

Hawkins was treated and released from Lakeland Regional Medical Center for his cuts and bruises. 

JUNE

West Palm Beach, Florida

A Tragic Failure to Deal with a Hate Crime By A Youth Gang

June 12: At approximately 8:10 pm, local Pastor Alan Clapsaddle of Westgate Tabernacle Church witnessed a savage beating of a local homeless woman who is known to suffer from a mental illness.

As Paula Allmon was walking past a gang house in the neighborhood and talking to herself about demons, a young man and a young woman stepped out of the house to block her path.  The female began to savagely beat her while the man blocked the woman’s attempts to escape.  Other gang members soon joined, mocking, and spitting at the woman.  Every time Allmon would attempt to flee, the woman would yank her back down to the ground by her hair.

Witnessing the assault, the pastor called 911 and explained what was going on to the operator.  Once the officers came, they informed Pastor Clapsaddle that they would only do something if Allmon would give a statement and press charges.  When Clapsaddle reminded them that the homeless woman was too mentally disturbed to understand any sort of legal processes, they still refused to take action without Allmon’s insistence.  The deputies then left without even driving by the gang house, which Clapsaddle believes sent a signal to the members that these types of crimes are acceptable.

Clapsaddle sent a letter to the police department about the “calloused indifference” that was exhibited by the officers and is still awaiting a reply.

Tuscon, Arizona

Homeless Men Attacked

June 12: A man named Wayne said he is often confronted by groups of young men.  Kevin, another homeless man, said he’s been jumped and pelted with rocks.  Diana Robeldo, a worker at Primavera Foundation, sees wounds every day.

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Homeless Man Is Speaking Out after Almost Beaten to Death by Group of Teens

June 14: “The last thing I remember is getting hit really hard with something in the face,” Terry Armstrong reported to WOOD-TV of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Armstrong, a 46-year-old homeless man who was walking inside the Rose Street transit station, was jumped by 15 teenagers all wearing white T-shirts.  Armstrong was very badly beaten. His jaw was wired shut and his face had multiple fractures which required many stitches.  Armstrong has been living at the Gospel Mission since the incident.  The workers at the mission said the incident has been very upsetting for everyone staying there. 

Ramona, California

Suspect Arrested in June Stabbing of Homeless Man

June 16: Steven Lowe, a 33-year-old homeless man, was cut with a sword near the Santa Maria riverbank.  After arresting Andrew Griffith, 28, for a different crime, a sword was found in the back of his truck which connected him to the Lowe incident.  Lowe has identified Griffith as the assailant in the unprovoked attack.  After slashing Lowe, Griffith fled and Lowe was found by police at 7:50 pm.  Andre Griffith is charged with assault with a deadly weapon and battery with great bodily injury. 

Huntsville, Alabama

Four Teenagers Arrested and Charged For Vandalizing, Terrorizing, and Assaulting Homeless People

June 18: Police arrested four teenagers, ages 11, 12, 13, and 14, for terrorizing and assaulting homeless people living in the Stokes Street camp. The assailants attacked the individuals living in the camp with rocks and plastic BB’s. The boys had entered the camp near First Stop homeless day center at least four times prior to the incident. They vandalized the space by ripping tents and breaking tables and chairs.  The oldest boy grabbed camp resident, Julie Rodgers, by the hair and threatened to rape her in front of the other teens.  When Rodger’s friend, Mark Evett, ran to find help, one of the teens struck him in the temple with a rock. The boys are thought to have entered and vandalized the camp at least three times before the recent incident. The teens are charged with second-degree robbery and assault. 

JULY

Burlington, NC

Homeless Man Injured By Three Teens

July 1: Three teens have been accused of attacking a local homeless man and leaving him with serious injuries.  Police found the victim, 58-year-old Richard Sico, bleeding from the head near a gas station. After investigating, police arrested Willie Justin Moore, 16, Timothy Leon Rushing, 19, and Kevin Tyrell Moore, 26, on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.  

Nashville, Tennessee

Three Teenagers Went on a Beating/Robbery Rampage in Nashville on the Fourth of July

July 4: Joshua Binkley, 18, Kourtney Clark, 18, and an unidentified 17-year-old drove around in a Chevrolet Suburban in the early hours of July 4th, getting out only to rob and brutally beat innocent people on the streets.  One of their victims, a 46-year-old homeless man, has a broken hip as a result of the beating.  Don Aaron, spokesperson for the police department, said to The Tennessean, “The three alleged bullies preyed on the defenseless.”  The three Nashville teenagers have been arrested and are charged with robbery, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, and assault. 

Leesburg, Florida

Five Teens Arrested For Beating Two Homeless Men

July 7: A group of six to eight teenage boys went into an abandoned home and used pieces of concrete, bricks, pipes, bats, and knives, to beat two homeless men nearly to death.  Robert “Glenn” Williams, 53, and David Lambert, 42, were so badly injured from the beating they were airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center.  Williams, covered in blood, crawled to the nearby road and got the attention of a police officer.  Lambert had a collapsed lung as a result of a stabbing and needed over 100 staples to seal up the wounds to his head.  Williams was so badly beaten on his face and head that he had difficulty talking for days following the attack. 

After the victims identified several suspects from photos of possible perpetrators, 15-year-old Aljanard Allen, 16-year-olds Gabriel McNeal and Brandon T. Mackey, and 17-year-olds Dominique Deloatch and Marquis Duggs were arrested on charges of attempted homicide. Police have stated that the perpetrators destroyed all of the victims’ property, indicating that robbery was not a motive.  According to the Orlando Sentinel, police believe the young men may have been at a party together the night of the beating.  According to police, Lambert had a verbal argument with the suspects two weeks prior to the attack. 

At least four of the boys will be tried as adults.  Duggs will be charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder and the other three will each be charged with one count of aggravated battery.  Mackey was arrested later and his charges are yet to be determined.

Chicago, Illinois

40-Year-Old Homeless Man Bumped into a Group of Men and Was Beaten with a CTA Sign in an Unprovoked Attack

July 8: At 11:30 pm, Erick Soriano, 24, Luis Recarte, 27, David Romero-Sanchez, 19, and one other person left a bar and were walking on Wabash Avenue when a 40-year-old homeless man, whose identity has not been released, accidentally walked into one of the men.  According to reports, Recarte started punching the victim while Romero-Sanchez used a metal CTA sign to attack him.  A crowd formed around the scene causing the suspects to flee; however Romero-Sanchez came back for one last strike at the victim.  The witnesses called the police and followed the suspects until authorities arrived at the scene.  When police arrived, they found the victim covered in blood.  He was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition.  The brunt of the beating focused on his face and head.  He suffered from a broken orbital bone around his eye and several wounds were stapled shut.  The victim is now in stable condition.  Police think it is possible that a metal chain was also used in the attack.  The three men are each charged with one account of felony-aggravated battery.

Akron, Ohio

Two Men Arrested For Terrorizing Two Homeless Men at 3 am

July 21: Roommates, Todd Allen, 22, and Timothy Burge Jr., 19, started harassing two elderly homeless men, Thomas M. Pritchard, 68, and Leonard D. King, 50, at around 3:30 am.  Pritchard and Leonard told police the two men threw rocks at them and shot them with a BB gun.  Then they grabbed the victims’ bottle of starter fluid and burned a pile of the victims’ clothes.

Officers arrived on the scene in response to a call about a fight under the bridge.  The two men were arrested and are being held in the City Jail on charges of felony assault and criminal damages.

According to officer the two homeless men had visible injuries but refused to go to a hospital.

AUGUST

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Two Transients Severely Beaten

August 1: Donald Vasquez, 39, and Jonny Baca, 35, were attacked by a group of young men, who beat them with a street sign and a rock. Vasquez was found bloodied lying in the street, and Baca also suffered some injuries. Police are searching for three suspects, about 18 to 20 years old.

Milwaukie, Oregon

Three Teenagers Face Charges for Beating a Homeless Man

August 1: A 43-year-old homeless man, Andrew Gonzalez, was beaten in Milwaukie at a boat ramp. Samuel Earl Morton, 19, Shawn Glancy, 16, and Rauno Halmik, 17, were charged with first-degree assault, attempted murder, and unlawful use of a weapon

Police responded to reports of the assault and found Gonzalez the next morning near the Willamette River.  Gonzalez was badly beaten and rushed to the hospital with critical injuries to his head and hand.  Gonzalez had surgery and was released from the hospital a few days later.  Kellie Carter, a homeless woman who camps just a few feet away from Gonzalez, says she heard him screaming for help that night.  She reports to KGW News, “He said, ‘Help me, help me, I’m dying.’”  Morton, Glancy, and Halmik reportedly used a knife and wooden club to beat Gonzales.

The two minors will be tried as adults and if found guilty, the teenagers face up to seven years in prison.

Omaha, Nebraska

Several Homeless Men Taken to Hospital after Being Attacked By a Group of Teens

August 8: A couple of homeless men in their 50’s were attacked by a group of seven or eight teenagers at 8:30 am.  The teens beat the men with blunt objects and a chair.  The men were left with lacerations and contusions and were taken to a nearby hospital for care.  The only description of the teens is that the majority were white.  There is no further information on suspects.

York City, Pennsylvania

Homeless Man Attacked By a Group of Teens

August 8: At around 12:00 pm, David Wright, a 38-year-old homeless man, was fishing near Codorus Creek when he was brutally attacked by three to five boys.  Wright reports the teens punched, kicked, and scratched him.  He was taken to the hospital and was treated for contusions and may have a broken hand. 

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Homeless Man Says He Was Targeted In A Beating Because He Is Homeless

August 11: Timothy Finn, a 49-year-old homeless man, was sleeping at a bus stop on 15^th and Allen streets when he was attacked by three men.  The men woke Finn up at 3:30 am by shouting and cursing at him and proceeded to hit Finn in the face and head.  He was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital.  Finn told police he believes he was attacked because he is homeless.

Elgin, Illinois

Four Men Beat and Rob Homeless Man

August 12: Four men have been charged with robbery, aggravated battery, and mob action for attacking and robbing a homeless man.  The entire incident was caught on a store security camera.  One man tried to body slam the victim, while another punched the man and knocked him unconscious to the ground.  Once unconscious, the homeless individual was robbed of his wallet.  The victim was treated for head injuries and later released from the hospital. 

Sparks, Nevada

Two Homeless Men Are Attacked By Group

August 13: Two homeless men reported to the Sparks Police Department that they were attacked by four to six white teenagers with sticks, bats, and a broken tree branch and sprayed with a substance believed to be pepper spray.

Deltona, Florida

A Homeless Man Left in Critical Condition after a Brutal Unprovoked Attack

August 14: Leonel Guerra-Vila, a 50-year-old homeless Cuban immigrant, was found behind a convenience store brutally beaten and having trouble breathing.  He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.  Guerra-Vila suffered facial fractures, broken ribs, and a punctured lung.  Guerra-Vila described the assailants as two Hispanic men in their 20’s or 30’s.  He reported that he has seen the men before and has had problems with them in the past.  Guerra-Vila told police the men pushed him off his bicycle as he tried to get away, and once he was on the ground they punched and kicked him.

Springfield, Massachusetts

Two Locals Attempt to Rob Homeless Man While Armed with Knife

August 21:  Two Chestnut Street residents, one age 20, the other age 14, were charged with armed robbery, assault, and battery after assaulting a 63-year-old homeless man. The two grabbed the homeless man’s head and demanded money. One of the suspects had a knife. The suspects left upon realizing that the homeless man had no money, and the victim ran to the bus stop to call the police. Both the subjects were charged with armed robbery, assault, and battery. 

SEPTEMBER

Manchester, New Hampshire

Group of Teens Assault Homeless Man

September 8: A homeless man was beaten by a group of young men in their late teens or early 20’s. The man, 38, was at his campsite when the teens attacked him, beating and kicking him. He was hospitalized with injuries to the head, face, and back.

Hamilton Township, New Jersey

Beating Leaves Homeless Man with Broken Bones

September 9: Herman Ford, 50, experienced a severe beating at the hands of a group of teenagers. “They hit him in the face with either a branch or a cane,” Detective Lt. James Kostopolis told CBS News, “once he hit the ground, they continued to hit him about the face.” Ford was left with several broken bones in his face. Police have apprehended at least one suspect, a 16-year-old, who is being held at the Mercer County Detention Center. The teens are suspects in several other area attacks on the homeless, and will face charges on aggravated assault.

St. Petersburg, Florida

Four Homeless Men Attacked

September 13: Three men attacked a homeless man while he was sleeping. After being beaten, he managed to get to a hospital, where police contacted him. 

September 15: Another homeless man was assaulted north of Mirror Lake.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Three Men Arrested for Beating Homeless Man

September 17: Marvin Balcombe, 32, was hospitalized with a broken arm and non-life-threatening head injuries after he was beaten in a park. A group of men confronted and beat him repeatedly with sticks. Police arrested Ronald Renwick, 22, Alan Pitts, 24, and David Morton, 36, as the attackers. The three are facing charges of first-degree assault.

Manchester, New Hampshire

Homeless Man Badly Beaten In Face

September 19: According to homeless activist, Cindy Carlson, a homeless man was accosted while he was trying to go to sleep. Carlson reported that his face was badly bruised when she encountered him. The homeless man refused to receive medical treatment and to file a report.

St. Petersburg, Florida

Man’s Jaw Broken in Latest Attack on Homeless

September 19: A group of men attacked a homeless man, smashing his face with a brick, and breaking his jaw. They also attempted to steal his wallet.

OCTOBER

Austin, Texas

Homeless Man Suffers Repeated Kicks to the Head

October 17: Michael Charles Smock was repeatedly kicked in the head. He suffered three fractures of the right mandible, one fracture across the chin, and one fracture to his left mandible. Additionally, he ended up with seven steel plates and screws in his jaw.

Smock reportedly was approached by an individual who asked him how many individuals were living with him outside and how long he would be staying in his current location. Two weeks later, the individual approached Smock again telling them to leave. While Smock was gathering his things to leave, the same individual proceeded to kick his head repeatedly. He was taken to a local hospital where he received medical attention.

NOVEMBER

Houston, Texas

Homeless Family of Three Beaten For Fun

November 18: A family of three was awoken from their sleep at John Bute Park by seven armed men. The men attacked the trio, beating them with poles. Sharon Gedovin, Roman Martinez, and son, Michael Gedovin, suffered various injuries. Michael left Ben Taub Hospital with 14 stitches; Martinez left with a broken nose and an eye swollen shut. Since leaving the hospital, the family has run out of medicine. The family reported that the attackers were not looking for money or valuables, but rather some fun from easy targets.

Delray Beach, Florida

Homeless Man Beaten With Baseball Bat

November 27: Homeless man Bobby Joe Klepper, 42, reported to police that he was awoken by a baseball bat to the head and pepper spray to the face early Tuesday morning.

Klepper, who was sleeping in the woods when the attack occurred, reported to the Palm Beach Post that the attacker told him that he “didn’t want to see him around here again.”  Klepper was treated at Delray Medical Center for his injuries.

DECEMBER

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Homeless Man Beaten, Prosthetic Leg Stolen

December 4: Glen Parker had been drinking and passed out, only to wake up to someone beating him. The unknown attackers kicked and beat Parker, and when they left, they took his prosthetic leg and his cane. Wade McPeak, who has been helping Parker since the attack, told KOCO-TV, “I just wish they [the attackers] would have enough courtesy to give [his leg] back to him because, obviously, he’s the one who needs it, not them.” A new leg would cost several hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Baltimore, Maryland

Juveniles Attack Homeless Women on Public Bus

December 4: Four juveniles were convicted in March of 2008 of first-degree assault in the beating of a homeless woman.  Sarah Kreager, 26, was attacked on a Baltimore public transit bus in December 2007.  The cases of five other accusers are still under jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court.

Kreager sustained two fractured eye sockets, two lacerations to the head, and bruises as she was hit and kicked according to Assistant State’s Attorney Dawn Jones.

Since the attack, the students have been confined to their homes and kept out of school which has raised objections from attorneys, stating to the Baltimore Sun that, “their clients had no previous involvement in the juvenile justice system, complied with rules and earned top marks while on community detention.”

One of the perpetrators pleaded guilty in juvenile court on charges of second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault.  Initially, the attacks were thought to be motivated by race, but such accusations were later dismissed. 

Redding, California

Homeless Man Nearly Beaten To Death after Found Rifling through Dumpsters

December 14: Tony Allen Souza, 47, was found battered, bruised, and unresponsive on the ground by local police called to the scene. Souza, a homeless man, was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Redding with physicians reporting injuries of a crushed skull, broken ribs, and collapsed lung. Souza was chased by two assailants, one 24-year-old and another 25-year-old, knocked to the ground, and struck repeatedly over the head with an aluminum baseball bat. According to police reports Souza was beaten so badly he was in a coma at the hospital and has now lost his vision.  

The assailant being accused of committing the crime, Nathaniel Kem Lloyd, 24, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. He faces 10 years in prison.  Local homeless advocates believe this man was targeted because he going through the dumpster and appeared to be homeless.

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Gang Preys On Homeless

Late December: Four homeless individuals have been the target of abuse in Fort Smith. The victims have had injuries such as black eyes and broken ribs. The assailants have used a variety of weapons including broomsticks, paint-rollers, and boots. The assailants are believed to be a gang consisting of six teenagers.