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Published Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 | 10:58 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 | 3:31 p.m.
James Paul Schmidt
Lt. George Castro of Metro Police's Violent Crimes division speaks with the news media at 4750 W. Oakey Blvd. on Wednesday afternoon to discuss James Paul Schmidt, a homeless man who was beaten into a coma in November. Police have exhausted leads in the case and are hoping family or friends of Schmidt will step forward to help.
Metro Police said today they have exhausted all leads in searching for the person or persons who allegedly beat and robbed a homeless man in November.
On Nov. 30, 2009, at about 4:15 a.m., police found 60-year-old James Paul Schmidt in an alley east of Las Vegas and Oakey boulevards, behind Ted Wien’s Tire and Auto Center. Schmidt was found by a police K-9 unit that was investigating an unrelated robbery at a nearby ampm store, said Lt. George Castro with Metro’s Violent Crimes division.
Castro said Schmidt was homeless and had been living near the alley for some time.
Police said Schmidt appeared to have been the victim of a robbery and battery. Police originally said in a statement that Schmidt might have been trying to stop people who were drawing graffiti in the area before the assault occurred, but said this afternoon that the motive of the attack couldn't be confirmed.
Castro said it was unclear if Schmidt had been attacked by one person or a group. Police haven't found the weapon used in the attack and haven't been able to contact any of Schmidt’s next of kin to notify them.
Schmidt was taken to University Medical Center, where investigators had difficulty getting information from him because of a brain injury he suffered during the attack. At the time, Schmidt was wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt, police said.
Schmidt has been in a coma at UMC since the attack. If he dies, the case will become a homicide, police said.
Police were able to release a photo of Schmidt because he has a criminal record that consists of petty, misdemeanor offenses, police said. Because of the record, police also were able to identify Schmidt by his fingerprints.
“It is a sad thing that someone doesn’t step forward,” Castro said. Police are looking for “anyone to assist us.”
Metro Police are asking anyone with information about the incident call the Metro Police Violent Crimes section at 702-828-5634, or call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 to remain anonymous.
They probably did it. Metro that is.
yeah, check for taser marks.
Why does the story not bother to tell us how the victim is now? Did he recover? Does he have family? Is there a fund for him? C'mon Mr. Dostal, this is only a story because a man was victimized, so tell us more about the victim...
ThisOneGuy, these are the details that are available at this point. Metro has scheduled a news conference for this afternoon and those are some of the questions we hope to find answers to.
We will update this story as soon as we know more information.
Thank you.
hey tom_duh, what r u som sort of cop hater? sheesh!
don't tase me bro!
mred, get a life. All you do is sit on your bum all day typing garbage that makes no sense. Again, and again, nonsense wiht no foundation, no proof, no intelligence. Get over yourself.
This is a very sad story.
A little dose of taze would be good for Red and Tom.
someone needs to get tased here. tom_duh you ever been tased before?
About mid way through the story you reference "his" brain injury, I assume it was sustained during the crime...?
I've never been tased, but I got a splinter once.
maybe if it was a homeless cop the case would have been solved.
DUDE ONEGUY THEY DON'T KNOW ANY INFO YET!
someone's been watching Sherlock Holmes!
if he did, someone would have robbed him!
Thanks for the extra info. Way to follow up.
God Bless James Paul Schmidt, and good luck Metro.
thisoneguy,
they said he is in a coma and has brain injury?
kinda like you are.
Hey manaboutown, Check this out:
Story originally Published Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 | 10:58 a.m.
My original comment written: 1/13/10 at 11:39 a.m
Story Updated Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 | 3:31 p.m.
See how that works? All those little numbers aren't just there to confuse you, they are actually DATES and TIMES. Now try to keep up here: see The Sun UPDATED the story with more info when they got it (after the press conference one would assume). So the story you read and the story I read originally were DIFFERENT. Crazy huh?
Not difficult concepts to grasp, even for you manaboutown, it's a local newspaper not a 3rd grade text book.
I onwe luuk at pruwee pictures.
tom_duh, another one of those brilliant dummies.