City Police Find Beating Victim In Breezeway

HARRISONBURG — Harrisonburg police are investigating the attack of a man along Port Republic Road early Sunday morning.

Police say they were called to 891 Port Republic Road at 12:20 a.m. for a report of a disorderly conduct in progress. At the scene, officers found a beaten man lying unconscious in the breezeway of an apartment complex.

The victim was taken to Rockingham Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for facial injuries, police say.

While police were investigating the assault, officers arrested Raymond Eugene Hamilton III, 22, of Harrisonburg, for felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Lt. Chris Rush, commander of Harrisonburg Police Department’s criminal investigations division, said it’s unclear if Hamilton was involved in the malicious wounding.

In recent weeks, Rush said, police have responded to similar crimes — assaults, robberies and firearm-related incidents — in the vicinity.

Police are still searching for a man accused of attacking another man at a nearby grocery store parking lot on Nov. 4.

Police say the victim had parked his vehicle in the Food Lion parking lot on Port Republic Road earlier that evening and was returning from an off-campus party at about 1 a.m. when the attack occurred.

The parking lot is near numerous off-campus housing complexes that cater to James Madison University students.

Police say the victim exchanged words with another man before the attack.

The suspect in that attack is described as a black male, between 6 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 5 inches tall, and weighing about 300 pounds. The suspect left the scene with several other people in a silver-colored, late-model Ford pickup, police say.

Anyone with information about crimes in the Port Republic Road area is asked to call 437-2640. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Solvers at 574-5050 or text “HPD” plus the tip to CRIMES (274637).

Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com