FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Four men have been arrested and another is on the loose after a man was beaten Sunday during an armed robbery in Fort Lauderdale, authorities said.
Cellphone video taken around 4 a.m. Sunday shows a group of men ambushing two victims who tried to run away from them.
“You can see the group of suspects attacking the victim and taking items off of him, including his shoes, his wallet, his phone,” Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman Casey Liening said.
Police said the victims were walking on Southwest Second Street in downtown Fort Lauderdale when they were ambushed from behind.
“The victims, in fear for their life, ran in two separate directions and the group of suspects chased after one of the victims,” Liening said.
According to police, the victim’s friend attempted to help when one of the suspects pulled out a gun and said, “It’s not worth it, just give it up.”
The man who filmed the attack told Local 10 News reporter Andrew Perez that the crooks punched him and stole his cellphone, but he was actually recording with a smaller phone in his other hand.
The thieves ran away, but four of them were captured nearby by police.
They have been identified by police as Vincent James Bailey, 19, Erik Lawayne Ray, 27, Dandre Juwaun Ray, 26, and Shaquille Davonte Lewis, 23.
Authorities said the man in the blue shirt who was filmed stealing the victim’s sneakers remains at large.
Anyone with information about his identity is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.