Homeless criminal beat elderly Sikh worshipper with a golf club, leaving him soaked in blood: cops
The attacker approached Harpal Singh on a bike in North Hollywood on Aug. 4 — then repeatedly bashed him with the club, before walking away, according to KTLA.
Disturbing footage shows the battered 70-year-old stoically sitting cross-legged on the ground, completely covered in blood — and left holding the club used to beat him.
3 Singh was filmed calmly sitting on the ground after the vicious attack.
justice for Harpal Singh
Singh was put in a medically induced coma with a fractured skull and possible brain damage.
Bo Richard Vitagliano, 44, was arrested Monday night — a week after the attack — and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters at a press conference Tuesday.
The 'unhoused' suspect has 'an extensive criminal record,' including for narcotics, weapons and assault with a deadly weapon, the chief said.
3 Singh remained in a medically-induced coma as of Monday a week after he was attacked.
justice for Harpal Singh
The attack happened not far from the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles — Singh's regular place of worship — but religion did not appear to be a factor in the attack, the chief said.
'Based on the evidence in this matter, North Hollywood detectives believe the assault was not a hate crime,' McDonnell stated.
It instead seemed to be 'motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the victim,' the chief said, without elaborating on what.
3 Vitagliano approached Singh on a bike and beat him with a golf club.
ktla5
However, the Sikh Coalition, an organization supporting the rights of Sikhs in the US, said they believe 'it is impossible to completely rule out a bias motive at this stage.'
Cops would make extra patrols in the area, the chief said, to reassure members of the sikh community worshipping there.
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