DECATUR, Ill. — A man in his 30s was hospitalized after a violent attack involving a metal pipe over the weekend, according to the Decatur Police Department.
Police said the victim and suspect, both in their 30s, had a falling out last September. They reportedly ran into each other on August 21 without incident. The following day, the suspect invited the victim to hang out near North College and West Olive Streets.
While inside a home, the suspect attacked the victim from behind, striking him with a metal pipe and stomping on his back until he lost consciousness. The victim later awoke covered in what smelled like gasoline, at which point the suspect allegedly struck him again.
A woman inside the home began arguing with the suspect, giving the victim an opportunity to escape. The victim was hospitalized and later discharged on August 23, after which he reported the incident to police.
The suspect has been booked on preliminary charges of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, and the investigation remains ongoing.