SILVER SPRING, Md. — Montgomery County police are asking for help identifying six suspects who assaulted four unhoused people at Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring.
According to police, on July 16 at around 4:43 a.m., five male suspects and one female suspect exited a Honda Civic and approached four people sleeping. Surveillance video shows one person on the ground being kicked and punched multiple times.
Police say the suspects punched a sleeping woman in the face and broke her phone, assaulted two men sleeping on a bench, and chased a third man. Two victims were brought to the hospital for their injuries.
Calvin Brawley is among the people that sleep at Veterans Plaza. He says he saw one of the victims after the attack.
"He had bruises on his face and blood clots," he told WUSA9.
Brawley says the incident is unsettling for the unhoused community because often they are hesitant to report crimes committed against them.
"I mean come on, what else is next? Your life here is on the line," he added.
Police have not identified a motive for the attack. Investigators say the attackers did not know the victims.
"At the end of the day, we are people. We have to respect one another. We have to keep things into perspective," Brawley added.
The Montgomery County Department of Police has released this video of the incident and is asking anyone who recognizes these suspects to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.
Warning: This video contains graphic footage of one of the assaults. In the video, the suspects surround the victim and one starts repeatedly punching him while two others kick him in the head and stomach. Two other suspects stand by and watch the assault.