Beating Followup
By Wil Weldon

Police still have no leads on the violent assault that left a man in the hospital last week.

On the 100-block of Franklin Street was where someone beat Randolph Long early in the morning of July 16.

Witnesses say a group of 10-15 youth beat Long on the sidewalk of Franklin Street. But Long is now out of the hospital and back on the street. And word around town is that a verbal exchange led to the attack by the group.

Long remembers little, and is glad to be alive.

“I got stitches right there, the hospital say I got hit with a stick, bat, or something, I didn’t see, I went out. And that was it,” he said.

Other homeless men told Carolina Week they think the group was from Durham. Police say the assault could have been gang-related.