Watch: Police Release Video Showing Attack Against Pro-Lifers in Baltimore

The Baltimore Police Department released a video Thursday showing the brutal attack of two pro-life advocates outside of a Planned Parenthood on May 26.

Police released the video in the hopes of learning the identity of the suspect, who can be seen tackling an 80-year-old man and assaulting a 73-year-old man before kicking him “with extreme force” in the face,” CBS News reported, citing police.

Watch video here (WARNING distressing content):

LifeSiteNews, which first reported on the incident, heard from local pro-lifer John Roswell via email that Dick Schaefer and Mark Crosby are the men who were attacked and seriously injured.

The footage shows the suspect — who appears to be a white male with brown hair and a full beard wearing brown shoes, a gray T-shirt, and blue jeans — approaching the men, who were praying on the sidewalk outside of the abortion clinic on North Howard Street. The suspect and Schaefer appear to have words, and the suspect seems like he is about to walk away before he turns around and tackles him into a flowerpot. The video shows Crosby run over to assist, before the suspect tackles him, punching and kicking him in the face before finally leaving. 

“I hope they catch the guy. He’s obviously dangerous. We’re not sure why this happened, whether it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. He suddenly was enraged. It could have been pre-planned. It almost sounds like it was. He waited until the opportune moment when Dick (Schaefer)’s back was turned,” Roswell told WBAL-TV. 

Anyone who recognizes the suspect is asked to call police at 410-396-2411 or Metro Crime Stoppers Maryland at 1-866-7LOCKUP. Metro Crime Stoppers said they are offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. 

Roswell said Crosby is healing, although he was originally taken to the hospital where doctors thought they may have to do facial and eye operations on him. Crosby’s plate bone in his upper right cheek was completely fractured, his orbital bone was completely shattered, and he was bleeding behind one of his eyes, Roswell said after the attack.  Schaefer told WBAL-TV soon after the incident that he had hand, shoulder, head, and back injuries.

Dr. Jay Walton, the president of Baltimore County Right to Life, had started a GoFundMe for Crosby’s medical expenses, detailing how Crosby has, for years, “prayed in front of the Planned Parenthood in Baltimore City to let the scared, young abortion-minded women know that they are loved, that their baby is loved.”

The GoFundMe received more than $40,000 in donations as of June 8, surpassing its original $10,000 goal. However, Walton disabled the GoFundMe, posting on June 14 that Crosby had declined the funds raised for him, and asking interested parties to instead support local pregnancy help centers and pro-life groups.

Roswell told CBS News that both Schaefer and Crosby have already returned to their sidewalk ministry, undeterred by the act of violence. 

“Worst case scenario, we’re a martyr for our cause,” Roswell said. “Free ticket to Heaven. You know I don’t want that to happen, but that’s the way I look at it.”