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BRUTAL BEATING UPDATE
Witness Tips Lead To Two Arrests In Connection With Brutal Beating At Transit Mall

Reported by: Send eMail Kallie Cart
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Mar. 5, 2013 11:24 AM EST
Updated: Mar. 7, 2013 5:50 AM EST

EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO
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Charleston , Kanawha County , West Virginia

Witness tips led police to arrest two suspects in the brutal beating that happened Monday night at the Charleston Transit Mall.

Brandon Douglas and Dana LaFond were taken into custody Wednesday. Douglas is charged with malicious wounding, and LaFond is charged with malicious wounding and robbery.

Police said they believe Douglas is the suspect captured on surveillance video stomping the victim, Brandon Cotley, and that LaFond is the suspect who struck him in the head with a brick.

A witness to the incident called police and said he saw Douglas on Shrewsbury Street, and that is where he was arrested. Witnesses also called police and said LaFond was getting ready to leave town, and he was arrested as he was boarding a one-way flight to Myrtle Beach.

The suspects were arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.

The victim suffered life threatening injuries and remains in critical condition, but his family said he is now improving.




Police have two people in custody after a brutal beating that happened Monday night at the Charleston Transit Mall.

Brandon Douglass and Dana LaFond were both taken into custody Wednesday. Detectives said they believe one of them was captured on surveillance video, stomping the victim, Brandon Cotley, in the head with a brick.

Cotley remains in critical condition, but his mother tells Eyewitness News that he is improving.

Keep checking wchstv.com for updates.




Charleston police are investigating a brutal beating that took place along Laidley Street at the entrance to the Transit Mall as people stood by and watched.

Brandon Coltey, 21, is in critical condition in the hospital following the incident that occurred about 8 p.m. Monday. A surveillance video shows him getting hit in the head from behind with a brick and then another man starts stomping Coltey in the head. The man walks away and comes back several times over the course of about three minutes and kicks and stomps Coltey each time. The victim was then robbed after the beating.

The video shows a much larger crowd standing by and watching, some were even recording the beating on their cell phones. Police say they were finally called a couple of minutes after the beating suspect took off. So far, no arrests have been made, but police are hoping that the video will help them solve the crime. They urging people to come forward and help even if they just recognize some of the witnesses.

Coltey's family is also asking for justice. His mother, May, says her son was at the transit mall trying to get home from work to see his young daughter, who is just 3-months-old.

"He's going to pull through, he has to pull through for his baby," May Cotley says. "Just come forward, if you don't want to come to police, I'm sitting at this hospital day and night, I'll be here, just come in and talk to me that's all I'm asking."

May says Brandon is improving and was taken off of the ventilator today and was responding.

Anyone with information is asked to call Charleston police.



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