Stamford police seek suspects in possible racial crime

Stamford police are looking for eight suspects they say are responsible for beating two homeless Hispanic men in a possible racial crime. Officials say the two males were beaten Tuesday at around 11:30

News 12 Staff

•

Sep 18, 2015, 6:17 AM

•

Updated 3,382 days ago

Stamford police are looking for eight suspects they say are responsible for beating two homeless Hispanic men in a possible racial crime.

Officials say the two males were beaten Tuesday at around 11:30 p.m. by eight young, African-American men with baseball bats at a park along Greenwich Avenue.

The victims say they were kicked and punched, and that when they tried to flee, the groups chased them and beat them again.

"I want no problem. I can't stop them, eight people," says one of the victims.

Police say nothing was stolen. They are treating this as a bias crime because the victims claimed the incident happened for no apparent reason.

Stamford Police Lt. Diedrich Hohn says they will be monitoring the situation and making sure it is not a growing trend.

Neighbors say Hispanic men sit in the park all day and night and drink.

"This is supposed to be a private neighborhood. We pay a lot of taxes. Why should they be free to hang out here all day long?" says Stamford resident Annie Bell.

There are no surveillance cameras in the area, according to police.