CLEVELAND (AP) A group of teenagers beat a homeless man to death as passersby slowed to watch,
Cleveland police said Thursday.
Anthony Waters, 42, suffered a lacerated spleen and broken ribs and died at Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center after the attack Wednesday night, police said.
“The pack mentality going on in the city of Cleveland must end,” Third District Police Commander Calvin Williams said at a news conference where he urged the attackers to come forward. “The mayor told us to take the gloves off.”
Portions of the attack were caught on a surveillance camera outside G&M Towing Company on the city’s east side. Police said the videotape shows passing cars slowing to watch three teens attack Waters until he staggered into the parking lot, where he was assisted by employees of the towing company.
“And it was just horrifying the way he looked,” said Marlo Massey, Waters’ sister, who viewed her brother’s body after the attack. “They beat him to death and I just can’t stop thinking what was on his mind while it was happening.”
Waters suffered from blunt abdominal trauma, a closed head injury and damaged internal organs, the Cuyahoga County coroner said.
A number of passing cars slowed down to watch the attack, but none of them stopped, said Cleveland Police Lt. Thomas Stacho.
The attackers, estimated at ages 14 to 17, all wore white T-shirts, and one rode a silver BMX bicycle, police said. They robbed Waters of a music player and head phones, police said. No arrests have been made.
Waters was a welder by trade but had been staying at a Cleveland-area homeless shelter, said his friend, Paul Eadeh.
“He’s a good guy, a hard working person. He was just trying to make some money to eat and to live,” said Eadeh.
Eadeh said Waters worked odd jobs for him at Mike’s Beverages.