Police Seek Man in Downtown Mobile Assault on Older Pedestrian at Dauphin and Broad

MOBILE, Ala. — Mobile police are asking the public to help identify a man accused of repeatedly beating an older pedestrian in a downtown Mobile assault at the corner of Dauphin and Broad streets on Sunday afternoon, an attack that witnesses described as sudden, unprovoked and terrifying to watch.

The victim was taken to a hospital with a head injury and was listed in stable condition, according to the Mobile Police Department. Police have released a photo of a person of interest and say the man responsible ran from the scene before officers arrived.

The same afternoon, a few blocks away, a 70-year-old Mobile man says he was struck from behind outside the Ben May Main Library. Police are investigating that case as well, but say the two attacks are not believed to be connected.

What Police Say Happened at Dauphin and Broad

In a statement released Monday, Oct. 19, the Mobile Police Department said officers were called to the intersection of Dauphin Street and Broad Street at about 2:55 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. When they arrived, they found an elderly man suffering from a laceration after being assaulted by a man he did not know.

According to MPD’s preliminary investigation, the victim was walking in the area when the suspect attacked him multiple times and then ran away. Police said the attacker was not armed.

Mobile police Officer Roderick Miles said the victim’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.

“The subject did sustain a head injury,” Miles said. “He is listed in stable condition at a local hospital right now.”

Police have described the victim as elderly, and one local television report described him as a man in his 60s. His name has not been released.

Investigators do not believe the two men knew each other. Miles said police think the attack may have been random.

“At this time, the subject and victim, we believe, they do not know each other. However, we do believe that it’s possible that the subject is suffering from some type of mental illness episode and just randomly attacked the victim,” Miles said.

Witnesses Describe a Sudden, Repeated Attack

LaKeisha Hardy, who works near the intersection, said she saw the assault just before 3 p.m. after stepping out of the side door of a nearby Checkers restaurant. She said the man first ran off, then turned back toward the victim.

“He ran that way, down that way, but then he turned around, and when he turned around, he just started beating the man,” Hardy said. “He was hitting him all in his face and kicking him.”

Hardy said she recognized the man police are now trying to identify, saying she has often seen him walking along Broad Street. “He be walking around here all the time,” she said. She added that she had never had any encounter with him and that he typically just walked past, often talking to himself.

A second witness, a Mobile woman who asked not to be identified, described the attack in a social media post that she called “the most traumatic experience” of her life. She wrote that she was stopped at the traffic light at Dauphin and Broad when she saw an older man walking, and then saw another man push him to the ground and begin beating him.

The woman wrote that she held down her car horn until the attacker ran off, then got out of her SUV to help the injured man. She said she wrapped his head in a towel. She also wrote that she called police to report what she had seen.

According to her account, the attacker then came back. She wrote that she jumped back into her vehicle and locked the doors as the man came to her window screaming and banging on the glass.

“He then goes back to the man and beats him more. By this time a man comes and scared him off. I will never unsee this,” the post reads.

The witness described the victim’s injuries in graphic terms in her post and shared photos of him on social media. Police, for their part, have characterized the injuries as a head injury and a laceration that are not life-threatening, and said the man was in stable condition.

Possible Elder Abuse Charge Under Review

No arrest had been announced as of Monday. Miles said the suspect could face an elder abuse charge once he is identified, but final charges will depend on the extent of the victim’s injuries and on a review by the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.

Alabama treats crimes against older adults as a separate category of offense. The Protecting Alabama’s Elders Act, which took effect in 2016, created specific criminal offenses for the abuse and neglect of people 60 and older, with penalties that increase with the seriousness of the harm. In many assault cases, the severity of a victim’s injuries plays a large role in determining which charge, and which degree of that charge, prosecutors pursue. That is why police often wait for medical information before settling on final charges.

The man in the photo released by police has not been charged with a crime. Anyone who is eventually arrested and charged in the case is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Police Ask the Public for Tips

The person of interest photo is the main lead investigators have shared publicly. Police are asking anyone who recognizes the man, or who saw the attack or its aftermath near Dauphin and Broad streets on Sunday afternoon, to come forward. Because the assault happened in daylight at a busy downtown intersection, investigators are also interested in hearing from drivers or business employees who may have seen the man before or after the attack, or who may have video from phones, vehicle dash cameras or nearby security systems.

Ways to share information:

• Call the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211.
• Contact Mobile Area Crime Stoppers at 251-208-7000 to share a tip anonymously.
• Call 911 immediately if you see the person of interest or anyone in danger. Police advise residents not to approach a suspect themselves.

The intersection of Dauphin and Broad sits at the western edge of downtown Mobile, where Dauphin Street, the city’s best-known downtown corridor, meets Broad Street. The area draws a steady mix of pedestrians, drivers and bus riders on weekend afternoons, which is why police believe more people may have witnessed part of what happened.

Separate Assault Reported Near Ben May Library

Mobile police are also investigating a second Sunday afternoon assault on an older man, this one on Washington Avenue near Government Street, just outside the Ben May Main Library. Police said they do not believe the library attack and the Dauphin and Broad assault are connected.

Tony Matranga, a 70-year-old Mobile native, said he had stopped at the library to check out DVDs and was about to ride away on his electric bicycle when he was hit without warning.

“I was at the Ben May Library, getting some DVDs to watch on my DVD player,” Matranga said. “Getting ready to get on my e-bike and something hit me in the back of the head. Knocked me for a loop. And I, like, saw stars.”

Matranga said he caught sight of the man running away afterward and believes he got a reasonably good look at him. He recalled dark clothing and said the man may have been wearing blue shoes.

He said he was glad to have made it home safely and knows the outcome could have been worse. Going forward, Matranga said, he plans to stay alert. He also had a direct message for whoever hit him.

“Leave old folks alone,” Matranga said. “We don’t deserve that. And anybody that would do something like that, it’s kind of a cowardly thing to do to target an older person.”

Police have not announced an arrest or released a suspect description in the library assault. Anyone with information about that case can also call MPD at 251-208-7211 or Crime Stoppers at 251-208-7000.

The Ben May Main Library, at 701 Government Street, is the flagship branch of the Mobile Public Library system and a regular stop for residents who use its books, movies, computers and programs. Its location along Government Street places it a short distance from the heart of downtown.

Staying Safe Downtown

Police have not suggested that either attack points to a broader pattern, and they have said the Dauphin and Broad suspect and victim appear to have been strangers. Still, the two incidents on the same afternoon have drawn attention to the safety of older residents who walk, bike or use public transit around downtown.

General safety practices that law enforcement agencies commonly recommend include:

• Staying aware of your surroundings and limiting distractions such as phones or headphones while walking.
• Walking with a companion when possible and sticking to well-traveled, well-lit routes.
• Keeping a phone handy to call 911 quickly.
• Reporting suspicious or threatening behavior to police right away, rather than confronting someone directly.
• Checking on older neighbors and relatives who regularly travel downtown on foot or by bike.

Witnesses who intervene, as the driver at Dauphin and Broad did by sounding her horn, can sometimes interrupt an attack, but police generally urge bystanders to put their own safety first, call 911 and provide officers with a detailed description of what they saw.

Mobile police said both investigations remain active. Updates are expected as investigators identify the person of interest in the Dauphin and Broad case and as prosecutors review potential charges.