UPDATE: The victim of Monday's Metrolink attack has set up a GoFundMe account. On the page, he is asking for $5,000 so he can buy a motorcycle to get to and from work and avoid the Metrolink. The victim also says he will give a portion of the proceeds to victims of violent crimes in the St. Louis area.
ST. LOUIS - A man was attacked on a Metrolink train while other passengers sat and watched.
Police need your help finding the three men in the video. They say the incident happened around 10:00 Monday night on a train near the Forest Park stop.
Metrolink officials are calling this attack unacceptable and say they are working closely with police in the investigation.
The victim tells NewsChannel 5 he can't believe this happened to him.
"Very scary I thought when I was being pummeled, that I was about to get shot or stabbed I thought it was that could be it," the victim, who doesn't want us to share his name, said.
He says he was heading home from work on the Metrolink train near Forest Park when three men walked down the aisle and stood near him.
Below are surveillance images of the suspects provided by Metrolink.
The victim says one of the men asked to use his cell phone, but he said no.
"Then proceeded to ask me about the Michael Brown incident and at that point I knew this was going to be trouble, before I decided what I was going to do he sort of stood up, turned away and then nailed me right in the face," the victim said.
The video shows one man throwing several punches, then another man also gets in on the fight right before they get off at the Forest Park stop.
"I was like half unconscious, so stunned that I couldn't even respond or fight back and all I could think about was trying to protect myself," the victim said.
The victim rode to the next stop in the Central West End where he got off and says he told a bus driver to call police, no one else was helping him.
"The people behind me, I didn't get any assistance, no one asked if I was okay, and I was obviously bleeding and no one offered to call 911," he said.
While he says he feels lucky, with a bruised hand, head and cut nose, he is still leery of getting back on the train.
"I used to feel very safe on the metro and now I'm, much more vigilant," he says.
A Metrolink official says this is a top priority:
"The assault that took place on Monday night is unacceptable. Earlier this week, we began working with St. Louis City Police to find and arrest those responsible. Because of recent events that have been happening throughout our region, we are working with all the law enforcement agencies we contract with to increase their presence on our system. In addition to our security team, we contract with St. Louis City Police, St. Louis County Police and St. Clair County Police to patrol and keep transit riders and employees safe."
If you know anything about this case you are urged to contact Crimestoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
