A homeless man with a protracted prison historical past viciously beat a 70-year-old Sikh man with a golf membership close to his place of worship, in response to California cops — with the sufferer seen soaked in blood earlier than being put in a medically induced coma.
The attacker approached Harpal Singh on a motorbike in North Hollywood on Aug. 4 — then repeatedly bashed him with the membership, earlier than strolling away, in response to KTLA.
Disturbing footage reveals the battered 70-year-old stoically sitting cross-legged on the bottom, fully lined in blood — and left holding the membership used to beat him.
Singh was put in a medically induced coma with a fractured cranium and doable mind injury.
Bo Richard Vitagliano, 44, was arrested Monday evening — per week after the assault — and charged with assault with a lethal weapon, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell informed reporters at a press convention Tuesday.
The “unhoused” suspect has “an in depth prison report,” together with for narcotics, weapons and assault with a lethal weapon, the chief mentioned.
The assault occurred not removed from the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles — Singh’s common place of worship — however faith didn’t look like an element within the assault, the chief mentioned.
“Primarily based on the proof on this matter, North Hollywood detectives consider the assault was not a hate crime,” McDonnell said.
It as a substitute gave the impression to be “motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the sufferer,” the chief mentioned, with out elaborating on what.
Nevertheless, the Sikh Coalition, a company supporting the rights of Sikhs within the US, mentioned they consider “it’s unattainable to fully rule out a bias motive at this stage.”
Cops would make further patrols within the space, the chief mentioned, to reassure members of the sikh group worshipping there.
