A Philadelphia man has been arrested after disturbing video showed a series of violent attacks on homeless individuals near the city’s Convention Center.
The viral footage, which has racked up thousands of views, shows a man yelling at people sleeping on the street before pelting them with bottles and backpacks in seemingly unprovoked assaults.
Philadelphia Police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Naeem Morgan after gathering additional surveillance footage from the area. They believe the incidents took place on July 4.
Morgan was taken into custody on Monday and faces multiple charges, including possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
Police have not revealed a motive for the attacks. The extent of the victims’ injuries remains unknown.
Barry Martin, the program director at St John’s Hospice on Race Street, told ABC 6 he was appalled at the suspect’s behavior.
‘I have never seen anything like that in my life here, it’s just really depressing and just really hurtful for us,’ he said.
Still from viral video shows a man hurling objects at homeless individuals near Philadelphia’s Convention Center on July 4
Police say 27-year-old Naeem Morgan has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out the assaults
‘Where is our humanity? Where is the heart that we are supposed to carry with us as we walk around this city?’
St John’s operates a soup kitchen and serves meals to roughly 300 men, women, and children each day.
Martin said he recently met with city officials to discuss ways to address the growing number of people sleeping in the tunnels near the Philadelphia Convention Center.
A homeless shelter resident, who asked not to be identified, said: ‘I just hope they catch him and get him off the street. Let him go sit somewhere and think about it.’
Homelessness in Philadelphia has risen for the third year in a row, according to the city’s annual point-in-time count.
The survey, from January 2024, found 5,191 people living without permanent housing in 2024, a 10 percent jump from the 4,725 recorded the year before.
