TAMPA, FLORIDA (WFTS) - Authorities are looking for four men who beat up a young soldier as he was walking home after his car broke down in South Tampa.
Police said it started Wednesday with an unexpected punch that knocked the MacDill-based soldier to the ground.
That's when four men unleashed a relentless beating on Johnny Aparicio, punching and kicking him during a nearly minute-long attack.
A neighbor glimpsed a very injured Aparicio, after he managed to pull himself to his feet, long enough to knock on her family's door for help.
"He was bloodied and he was beaten and he was really upset and hurt," said the woman. "He had a really bad contusion on his face, possibly even a fracture."
Tampa police are reviewing the video captured by a motion detection camera at a neighborhood home.
Tampa Police Department's Lt. Mary O'Connor said the incident was one of the more vicious attacks she's ever come across.
To complicate matters further, the assailants were all wearing hoodies, which concealed the faces of every attacker.
Pat Chumley, who manages the complex Aparicio was trying to get to when he was attacked, said he has only lived there for a month.
She has watched the video of the beating that put her tenant in the hospital and hopes it will lead to arrests.
"I'm just glad somebody was able to catch it on tape," said Chumley. "Hopefully they can recognize somebody that's there."
