OILDALE, CA - The Kern County Sheriff's Department is looking for a group of teenagers who assaulted a man as he slept at a park in Oildale.
17 News spoke with the victim's family who says he was beaten with skateboards and left to die. However, Zachary Mains was released from Kern Medical Center Wednesday afternoon.
His brother says Zachary has been homeless for six years and often sleeps at the park. But, he was minding his own business Tuesday evening when he was approached by a crowd of kids and young adults.
"He didn't deserve to get what he got from these kids," said Max Tooker, brother of Zachary Mains.
Tooker says Mains has a long road of recovery.
"They used their, from what Zachary said, their feet, their hands, the skateboard if they had it in their hand," said Tooker. "Most of them, he said, did have a skateboard available to them and they went ahead and used that as the weapon."
Just before 5:30 Tuesday evening, sheriff's deputies say Mains was attacked at Sears Park.
Deputies say nearly a dozen people, ranging in age from 15 to 20 years old, beat him.
"He told me exactly what he was feeling," said Tooker. "He said they bruised a lot of ribs. He had dry blood from his mouth to his chest, everywhere. His jaw looked like it was smashed."
Tooker says the incident started when a group threw pine cones at Mains while he slept.
Tooker says when Mains confronted them, he was attacked.
"I think it was just because he's a bum and a drunk in the park and they just went ahead and saw him as a target, to be able and pick on him because he's somebody who's an easy target," continued Tooker.
Roxann Gibson lives across the street from the park and says since the attack, she's been looking out for her neighbors.
"I see a lot of homeless people and guys and women who just want to kick underneath the tree and take a break, ya know? Cool down and just live and it's heartbreaking, it's sad," said Gibson.
"I'm sure a lot of those kids have brothers or sisters, uncles or aunts or dads or moms. If they were in the same situation, they would feel the same exact way I do," Tooker continued.
A Sheriff's Department spokesperson says as of now, no arrests have been made.
If you have any information on this assault, call the Kern County Sheriff's Department at 861-3110.