Baltimore police search for suspect in video attack
April 10, 2012
(CNN) — Baltimore police said Tuesday they are making progress in their investigation into an attack that left a man beaten, stripped and robbed on the street while onlookers laughed and did nothing to help.
Anthony Guglielmi, director of public affairs, said that someone “is being questioned by detectives and prosecutors.” He did not call that person a suspect.
On Monday police said they had identified one suspect, but there is no word on whether an arrest will be made soon.
The attack, which police say happened on March 18 after St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, was captured by at least two cameras. Video of it went viral.
“Not only did they rob him, but they attempted to strip him of his dignity. They tore his clothes off; they mocked him. That behavior just will not be tolerated,” said Detective Nicole Monroe with the Baltimore police.
Police have not identified the 31-year-old victim from Arlington, Virginia.
According to the police report, the man was on the way to his hotel from a downtown Baltimore club when he was attacked.
The man, who had been drinking, told police he couldn’t recall exactly what happened, but the videos fill in the blanks.
In them, a man is seen standing, unsteadily, against a row of mailboxes. A crowd starts to gather and women dance suggestively against him. Someone notices his watch and a hand seems to grab something from one of the man’s front pockets.
He pursues the supposed thief and is punched in the face. The man falls over backward and his head hits the sidewalk so hard it can be heard on the video.
“Smackdown!” someone yells.
His pockets are rifled and his clothes pulled off. Some people can be heard laughing. No one comes to his aid.
According to the police report, the man lost his Tag Heuer watch, which he valued at $1,300, his iPhone and his car key.
CNN showed video of the attack to a number of people in Baltimore to gauge their response.
“That’s pretty sad,” said Finley George of Virginia, who was visiting the city with family. “I mean he obviously didn’t do anything to anybody. They just got up on him and started beating him.”
— CNN’s Lisa Sylvester and Dougal McConnell contributed to this report.