Homeless Athens man violently attacked in North Oconee River Park

An Athens man was severely wounded in a late-night attack in the North Oconee River Park located on the outskirts of downtown Athens early Thursday.

An Athens-Clarke police officer was at the corner of North Avenue and Willow Street interviewing a man shortly after 1 a.m., when another man approached her asking for an ambulance, according to the report.

The man’s “whole body was covered in blood,” officer Stephanie Basinger reported.

The officer observed a stab wound near his eye, which was bleeding profusely, another stab wound on top of his head, and his forehead was missing a large piece of skin, according to the report.

The 63-year-old victim told the officer he was sleeping in the park off Willow Street, when he was awakened to an unprovoked attack by a person he didn’t know.

The victim said the attacker “looked like he was depressed,” and the unknown man mentioned the attack was due to a “vendetta.” However, the wounded man had difficulty explaining the attack due to his state of shock and his severe injuries, according to the officer.

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The man was transported to a local hospital and the officer was able to locate the crime scene, along with a trail of blood leading to the nearby Bigger Vision facility, where the man reported he originally went for help.

Athens-Clarke police spokesman Geoff Gilland said Thursday that Detective Hovie Lister has already visited several homeless camps in an effort to identify a suspect.

The victim, who is homeless, described his assailant as a man of unknown race, about 6 feet tall and wearing a dark colored track suit.

Anyone with information can reach Lister at 762-400-7333 or hovie.lister@accgov.com

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Homeless Athens attacked in park leaving him 'covered in blood'