A savage attack on a homeless man by a gang of teenagers has left the community in shock. The incident, which was live-streamed on Instagram, resulted in severe injuries for the victim, Tilman Shannon.
The assault occurred on May 26 near a 7-Eleven gas station in South Oklahoma City. Surveillance footage revealed the harrowing moments when Shannon was chased and beaten by nine teenagers. The attackers used racial slurs and expletives throughout the assault, calling Shannon the N-word and other derogatory terms.
One of the attackers, 19-year-old Veronica Benavente, streamed part of the assault on her Instagram account. Court documents reveal that Benavente recorded the teenagers bragging about their actions and taunting Shannon with racial slurs.
Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Dillon Quirk commented on the incident, stating, “He had some pretty severe injuries and pretty significant trauma.” Among Shannon’s injuries was the removal of his colostomy bag, which resulted in his intestines being exposed.
Shannon was rushed to OU Medical Center, where he is expected to recover. Benavente, along with 18-year-old Eric Villagomez, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and battery, among other charges. Police also apprehended three minors and are actively searching for the remaining suspects involved in the attack.
Longtime resident Mike Martin expressed his disgust and concern over the incident. “That is disgusting,” he said. “It’s not that common, but there are a lot of gangs around here.”
Authorities are calling on the public for assistance in identifying the remaining suspects as they continue their investigation into this brutal crime.
