Newly released video shows the moment police discovered a man with both hands nailed to a tree in a wooded area in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The video, which was released Tuesday, shows police finding the distressed man in a wooded area called the Bosque in May.
A city worker found the man in the wooded area known as the Bosque before notifying police, KRQE reports.
“He kept yelling, ‘Help. Help,’ and so I came and I saw him and I kind of freaked out because I didn’t know if there was any other guys around,” the city worker told police.
A responding officer finally discovered Jose Duran nailed to a tree, remaining conscious but in pain.
“Hey, what happened man? Paramedics are on their way okay,” one officer said.
Duran did not tell the officer his name at the time but claimed two men nailed him to a tree in efforts to threaten him after a real-estate deal he was involved in took a turn for the worse.
Rescue workers spent hours trying to free Duran from the tree before they took him to the hospital.
Police have not made any arrests in the case yet. They do not believe the violence was revenge for a crime or caused by a drug cartel.