A vicious assault in Mulberry has led to the arrest of four teenagers, as reported by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The group is accused of being involved in the severe beating of a 35-year-old man, an incident that left the victim with a host of serious injuries and in need of intensive care.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the attack was caught on a cell phone video that depicted a relentless and brutal assault. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd described the footage, saying, "The video of the beating is hard to watch. The victim was knocked down with the first punch, and rendered defenseless. The suspects continued to attack the man—they pummeled him repeatedly with a sickening rage." The assault, which drew nationwide attention due to its severity, initially came to light after a late-night call from the victim's spouse.
As the inquiry moved forward, the authorities succeeded in identifying both a key witness and the four suspects who were subsequently taken into custody. Eathan Ryne Simmons, Westlee Austin Davis II, Robert Frerichs, and Dalton Ivory Creach face a range of charges, encompassing attempted second-degree murder and aggravated battery with bodily harm among others. The suspects claimed to have confronted the man under the belief that he was harassing an autistic acquaintance of theirs, yet no evidence has surfaced to support this claim.
While the motivation behind the assault remains under investigation, detectives are still seeking to identify two additional individuals believed to be associated with the incident.
