(MOBILE, Ala.) - A man is in critical condition after being attacked by several people.
A witness who wants to remain anonymous describes what he says he heard at his front door Saturday night, on Delmar Drive. "I just kept hearing him screaming, 'Man, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, man don't do this,' " he recalls.
On the other side of that door was Matthew Owen, who, police and neighbors say, was being beaten by a group of people. The weapons? Bricks, bats, even a paint can.
At first, when he heard his friend at the door, the man thought it was a joke. "Then I saw about 10 to 15 people from little kids and women with dresses to adult men, just flooding onto the property, surrounding the car, hollering and screaming," he says. "And then I heard Matthew saying, ' I'm sorry, man, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.' And then, the next thing, before I could get to the door, because we have it all deadbolted and everything, and before I could get it open, I heard all the beating and banging."
Even family and friends of Matthew Owens admit there was some tension on this street before Saturday night's event. And they say a lot of this has to do with basketball. Relatives of the victim, who live on the street, say local kids often block Delmar Drive when they play basketball. They say it's lead to some confrontations. Racial comments from both sides may have made the confrontations more toxic.
It all bubbled over Saturday night, putting Owens in critical condition with severe head wounds.
Now police are looking for those involved in the beating.
Meanwhile, the incident has left some who live on this street troubled and nervous including Owens' friend. "Oh, my God" he says. "He was laying on the ground full of blood. I mean, it was horrible. His head, everything. Blood was pouring from his head, both sides. And his whole body was drenched in blood."
Mobile Police are encouraging anyone who knows the identity of the attackers to contact Crimestoppers.
