OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Police are searching for suspects connected to an assault from Sunday morning in South Oklahoma City that left one man beaten, bloodied, and abandoned.
A group of teens have been arrested, but more are suspected to be connected.
“That is disgusting,” said Mike Martin who has lived near that area for decades.
It was May 26th when the assault is said to have occurred according to court documents.
In the Northwest Corner of a 7/11 gas station near Kentucky Avenue and Southwest 59th Street, Tilman Shannon was seen getting yelled at by people in a vehicle.
Surveillance footage showed several teens yelling and threatening Shannon. Shannon tried to run away but was beaten down near the dumpster on the opposite end of the parking lot.
“Investigators later learned due to some video in the area that this was an attack on the victim from several people,” said Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Dillon Quirk.
Sgt. Quirk said that it was the gas station’s surveillance video that showed nine people that surrounded Shannon and beat him relentlessly.
The video that showed the most disturbing actions was said to be found on social media. Allegedly one of the suspects Veronica Benavente had streamed the attack on her Instagram page.
Police said that she is heard in the video, which is 1 minute and 30 seconds, she tells Shannon, “We are kids.” She continued to talk and call somebody an expletive. An arrest affidavit reported that Benavente is heard using racist slurs and racist expletives.
The group is said to have bragged about being kids in the fight and laughed several times.
At one point one of the teenagers grabbed Shannon’s Colostomy bag and pulled it out, his intestinal tract came out with it.
“He had some pretty severe injuries and pretty significant trauma,” said Sgt. Quirk.
“That is so scary,” said Trisha Tyler who moved to the neighborhood around five years ago. “This neighborhood isn’t usually all that dangerous,” said Tyler when asked if she sees crime often here.
“It’s not that common but there are a lot of gangs around here,” said Mike Martin.
Martin said that he has lived in the same house for several decades and gangs have been very common.
“Not that long ago I saw some elementary-age kids in front of my house with bandanas on and I was like, ‘What are you guys doing?’ They yelled something and acted all tough,” said Martin.
Eventually, Shannon was taken to OU Medical Center with severe injuries and is expected to survive.
Three juvenile suspects were found, and two adult suspects which included Benavente and 18-year-old Eric Villagomez were arrested. Officials said that there are four other suspects seen in the video who have not been found.
If you know anything about the incident or have any information for police you are asked to contact Crimestoppers at 405-235-7300.
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