Disabled man assaulted in viral video, 4 teens in custody

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Four teens are in custody in connection to this disturbing viral video depicting some youngsters punching a man with intellectual disabilities.

Now, at least one of those teens has been charged with hitting a school principal with a brick just two days after the first assault was caught on tape.

The first incident involving the assault of a disabled man unfolded in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood back on Memorial Day. Video of the incident went viral on social media after a co-worker of the victim shared the video in hopes of finding the attackers.

Investigators say dozens of tips poured in after the video was posted, and caught up with three of the suspects at a nearby school.

The video shows two young boys striking a 38-year-old disabled man as he walked down the street.

First, one boy strikes the man directly in the face, before the second attacker chases the man, punching him in the side of the head.

According to police, one of the attackers was taken into custody at Mastery Charter School, and the second was arrested Tuesday night. The first juvenile to throw a punch in the video was identified as a 12-year-old, and the second person to throw a punch was 15, police say.

Two other teens were also arrested at Mastery Charter Tuesday, including a 13-year-old who could be seen laughing at the incident, and a 15-year-old who originally videotaped the assault.

Detectives tell FOX 29's Joyce Evans that they have no doubt the man was targeted because of his disability.

Philadelphia Police Captain Malachi Jones says police had been looking for similarities in this incident and another incident in which a school principal was struck with a brick, just days after the other assault was caught on video.

The second incident took place on May 31st at the Fitler Middle School at West Seymour and Knox Streets.

Police say students from Mastery Charter were picking fights with students outside of the middle school, and a principal tried to break the fight up. During his efforts to separate the students, he was punched by one of the Mastery Charter students.

After he was hit, the principal he began to record the fight on video, and he was then struck with an unknown object, later described as a brick, by another male student.

Two students were identified from the video taken during the fight, and the 15-year-old suspect in the assault of the disabled man later told police of his involvement in the incident at Fitler Middle School.

Two students identified in the video of the fights were arrested and charged with aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, simple assault, and reckless endangering another person.

More teens could face charges in connection with the assault of the disabled man.

The man who was assaulted on video was not seriously injured in the incident. The principal was treated for his injuries and received stitches to his left eye, and also sustained a black eye and other non-life threatening injuries to his head and face.