Four teenagers were arrested after they allegedly assaulted a mentally disabled man on camera, police say.
The incident took place in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood on Memorial Day and went viral after the victim’s co-worker shared the video in the hopes his co-worker’s attackers could be found, WTXF reported.
The video shows two teenage boys punching an intellectually disabled man in the face while he was walking down the street in slow-motion.
One boy punches the man squarely in the face while the other boy chased the man down the street before striking him in the side of the head.
Officials say they received dozens of tips after the video went viral, which led them to three suspects at a nearby charter school.
Police arrested a 12-year-old boy at Mastery Charter School and another 15-year-old boy Tuesday evening in connection with the assault. The 12-year-old is believed to have thrown the first punch, and the 15-year-old is believed to have thrown the second one, police say.
Officers also arrested two others at Mastery Charter School Tuesday, including a 13-year-old who allegedly laughed at the incident on camera and a 15-year-old who allegedly filmed the assault.
All four teens face charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, and reckless endangerment, CBS Philadelphia reports.
The man in the video did not suffer serious injuries in the incident.
Police are trying to see if the assault is related to another incident that occurred a few days later where a school principal was hit in the head with a brick.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the principal was trying to break up a fight at Fitler Academics Plus School between students from his school and some Mastery Charter students when he was struck in the face.
When the principal started recording video of the incident, he was hit in the head with a brick. He suffered non-life threatening injuries to his face and head, receiving eight stitches under his left eye.