Tuesday, May 15, 2012

VIDEO: U.S. Army soldier brutally beaten in South Tampa

Tampa, Florida -- Police want your help finding four men who teamed up to beat a young U.S. Army soldier in a South Tampa street.

It was an awful welcome to Tampa Bay for a young soldier. Police say the victim of a violent beating caught on camera is 24 years old and has lived in Tampa for less than a month.

Photo Gallery: Soldier beaten and robbed in South Tampa

He's a U.S. Army soldier assigned to MacDill Air Force Base and lives not far from the base at Dale Mabry Hwy. and Interbay Blvd.

Police say Sunday morning, at around 3 a.m., the soldier's car broke down a few miles from home along Westshore Blvd.

The attack came when he was walking home and using Iowa St. to get from Westshore to Dale Mabry. At the intersection of Iowa and Renellie Dr., the man came into the view of a neighbor's motion-activated security camera.

A group of three young men is seen walking ahead of the soldier. Police say one of the men in the group doubled back and asked to soldier to borrow a dollar. When the soldier reached for his wallet, the first punch flew.

The first, tremendous sucker punch laid the victim onto the ground. The other two men joined in, punching and kicking the soldier.

A fourth man comes sprinting into view from the left edge of the video. The new attacker -- a man the soldier said he had walked past earlier -- joined in the beating.

Tampa Police officers say the crooks stole the soldier's wallet and cell phone, then took off south on Renellie Dr. When he eventually got to his feet, the victim had to knock on doors to find someone to help him call 911.

The soldier was taken to Tampa General Hospital with cuts and bruises on his face and head. Police say he is expected to make a full recovery.

Police say they haven't gotten many useful details about the suspects from the video.

The victim was not able to tell police much more: they're all in their late teens to early 20's. Two were black men with an average build, police said. One attacker was possibly Hispanic, also with an average build. The fourth man was also black, but with a heavier build.

Police are hoping someone knows about this brutal beating and will call Tampa Police at 813-354-6600 to help them find the attackers.

WTSP

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