New Pictures Show Suspects In Brutal Attack On Police Employee, Advocates Want Hate Crime Investigation
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- WJZ has obtained pictures that show the faces of three suspects in the assault early Wednesday morning on a 59-year-old man who works at the Baltimore Police Department.
More than $30,000 in reward money is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in the case.
NEW: We have clearer pictures of the suspects in the attack on the Baltimore Police employee. They headed down Lombard St—all three on scooters—before encountering him ON Albermarle. @wjz $34k in reward money being offered #WJZ pic.twitter.com/MzAX4N1zjN
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) July 26, 2019
NEW $32k reward offered for the arrests of the 3 people who viciously attacked a Baltimore Police Dept. civilian employee #WJZ @wjz #Baltimore https://t.co/7IEXgR1OBE
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) July 26, 2019
CAIR's National Executive Director says not to rule out the attack on the BPD employee is a bias/hate crime—urges people to come forward with tips. @wjz pic.twitter.com/PBTujFjkAQ
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) July 26, 2019
WJZ was first to obtain the video, which shows the victim being surrounded on Albermarle Street not far from police headquarters. All three of the suspects were on scooters. One ditched his scooter as he approached the man.
NEW: #WJZ obtains video of Baltimore City Police civilian employee being beaten on Albermarle Street. He gets stomped in the head. The story tonight 4,5, 6 on #WJZ @wjz pic.twitter.com/H8YieJubIZ
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) July 25, 2019
The victim was repeatedly kicked and punched. One suspect stomps on his head then searches his pockets. Police say his keys and vehicle were stolen. They left him in the street.
'Extremely Shocking': Brazen Attacks Caught On Camera Around Baltimore, Reward Being Offered
"There has to be some consequences. Some accountability," said Baltimore City Mayor Jack Young.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren spoke to Imam Hassan Amin who said he learned through a friend that the unidentified police department employee is now out of the hospital.
"He's resting. He's recuperating right now," Imam Amin said. "That could be any of us. Just walking from home or to work and then all of a sudden we are attacked unprovoked. Watching that video turned my stomach. Baltimore really needs to wake up any of us could be next."
CAIR News Conference 7.26.19WATCH WJZ | CAIR Holds A News Conference Regarding The Attack Of A BPD Civilian Employee https://cbsloc.al/2MigYcH
Posted by WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Friday, July 26, 2019
Amin joined other faith leaders calling for this to be investigated as a hate crime — in part because the victim was wearing religious headwear that was knocked from his head.
Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of the Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR), spoke at the scene of the assault.
"It could be a robbery, but we should not rule out whether this was a hate crime. He was dressing religiously. He had the religious attire. His kufi was knocked down in this brutal assault," Awad said. "We ask police and investigators not to rule out any bias motivation in this."
CAIR pledged a one thousand dollar reward.
"We're telling him that we are here for him. And we're here to say we're not going to tolerate a brutal attack on an innocent person," Awad said.
Warning: Graphic video
— Nihad Awad (@NihadAwad) July 26, 2019
A 59 yr old Muslim man was brutally attacked in #Baltimore.
Police & community organizations announced a $34k reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the suspects
We stand with the victim and his family@wjz@HellgrenWJZ#cair#CivilRights pic.twitter.com/H0sJ1xXW7s
Rabbi Etan Mintz of the B'nai Israel Downtown Synagogue added another one thousand dollars to the reward.
"This wasn't just a crime of convenience," Rabbi Mintz said. "You saw that brutal attack — constantly hitting him over and over again. This gentleman's head went straight to the pavement."
Rabbi Etan Mintz of B'nai Israel Downtown Synagogue offered another $1,000 reward for the arrest of the three suspects in the attack on the BPD employee. @wjz pic.twitter.com/mNTMzbzV40
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) July 26, 2019
Police said they are investigating a number of angles, including looking at the scooters the suspects were riding. Two appeared to be riding on Lime scooters. They were initially on Lombard Street before turning onto Albermarle.
Lime has reached out to BPD to offer help. We've learned they typically do not provide rider data unless there is a subpoena.
Deputy Police Commissioner Michael Sullivan said the victim was "doing well physically" but that the "trauma lives on long after such an event."
He is the second civilian police employee attacked in less than a week.
"The message is no one should feel unsafe walking through the streets of Baltimore because of who they are," said CAIR's Awad.
Anyone with information is asked to call 410-366-6341 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.