SANFORD, FL. - A community is outraged over a shocking attack on a homeless man - punched in the back of the head and knocked out cold. His alleged assailant – the son of a policeman – and it was all caught on tape.
Video from outside the bar on December 4th, clearly shows that the man in a grey shirt, who everyone knew was homeless, was simply trying to break up a fight.
Witnesses said his attacker had nothing to do with the scene, walked up from behind, and knocked him unconscious. A witness on the video is quoted as saying, "That guy just walks up and clocked him." "I was like, God, this guy's gotta go to jail. I mean, you can't walk around doing that kind of stuff."
Twenty-one year old Justin Collison is the son of a Sanford Florida police officer, and was never charged. The man he struck first, who was homeless, had to be hospitalized.
The video shows a paramedic asking the victim's name. When the homeless man's family saw the video on WFTV in Orlando, they were outraged. "When I got to the hospital, my brother didn't even know what happened. He couldn't tell me what happened," Tonetta Foster, the victim's sister, said.
Sanford police finally explained themselves Wednesday saying they gave Collison no preferential treatment, and that his father wasn't on duty that night.
Police also said it appeared everyone at the scene had been drinking heavily including the victim. They said he hadn't cooperated, until now. "We're handling this case like we would handle any other case, we're not out to protect anybody's child," Capt. Jerry Hargrett, acting Sanford Police Chief, said.
The case is now in the hands of the District attorney who said he's deciding whether to charge Collison with a felony. He said he's waiting for medical records and meets with the victim next week. What's seen in the video, he said, is certainly a crime.
What do you think? Should Justin Collison be charged in the attack on a homeless man? Take our KTRE.com web poll and tell us what you think.
