Editor’s note: This story contains graphic details that may be disturbing for some people.
Several vehicles, including buses and even three bicyclists, went past on a Miami street as a naked man chewed the face off a homeless man Saturday in what has been called a zombie-like attack, video footage posted by the Miami Herald shows.
The footage, taken by security cameras on the Herald building in downtown Miami, shows the entire 18-minute attack, which ended when a police officer shot the attacker after he did not stop his assault on the homeless man.
The video quality is poor, and facial details and the gore of the scene are not visible. But the movements of those involved are. The shooting itself is obscured by the bridge that carries Miami's Metromover tramway over the site of the attack on the MacArthur Causeway.
It's not clear how much of the attack motorists could have seen, as there is a waist-high concrete barrier between the road and the sidewalk where the attack took place, but one of the bicyclists passed on the sidewalk, and one driver slowed down to look at the scene.
The footage shows that attacker, identified by Miami-Dade Police as Rudy Eugene, 31, walking along the sidewalk and then stopping in a shaded area created by the tramway bridge. He apparently attacks the victim, dragging him out from the shade, stripping the victim's clothes off and then beating him as the victim kicks his legs in an apparent attempt to fight back.
The attacker then spends several minutes crouched over the victim, including when a bicyclist rolls by on the sidewalk and a white sedan rolls very slowly past the scene.
Police said at least five of those passers-by called to the report the incident, according to the Miami Herald report accompanying the video.
When a patrol car arrives, the officer appears to draw his gun quickly, but the actual shooting is blocked by the tramway overpass.
Larry Vega witnessed the attack and spoke to CNN affiliate WSVN.
"The guy just kept eating the other guy away, like ripping his skin. It was just a blob of blood," he told WSVN.
The arrival of police did not deter the attacker, Fraternal Order of Police President Armando Aguilar told CNN affiliate WPLG.
"When the officer approached him, told him to stop, pointed a gun at him, he turned around and growled like a wild animal and kept eating at the man's face," Aguilar was quoted as saying by WPLG.
Augilar said he suspects that the attacker was under the influence of "bath salts," a drug that contains synthetic stimulants that can "cause chest pains, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia, and delusions," according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Four other instances of drug use in Miami-Dade bear resemblances to Saturday's attack, Aguilar told WPLG.
Why 'bath salts' are dangerous
Sgt. Javier Ortiz, vice president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, said officials won't know for certain whether drugs played a role in the attack until toxicology reports are completed in a month or so. But he said police have been seeing increased incidents of drug-induced crime in the area.
Ortiz said the victim was in critical condition at a local hospital. He could not say whether the victim and attacker knew each other.
The Herald reported that the victim's nose, face and eyes were torn off during the attack.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Was there any skittle at the scene?
Seeing the photos of the victim and what he looks like now, bloody hell, his face is gone down to the top of his beard where it starts around his mouth. He does have at least one eyeball left that I saw.
Drugs addicts beware, now if a drug addict shows aggression they will be killed.
Why where they both naked ?
My studies have revealed true zombies love post coital nude cuddling. This is of course, followed by a grisly meal of face flesh.
The attacker stripped him...
He couldn't face his new diet.
maybe he thinks he's an animal. sometimes when i ask men about various behavior, they point to animals.
I love how there were several passersby, yet nobody even bothered to do anything about it.
Hooray American society.
Some of you shouldn't be jumping into conclusions and say this is the beginning 'zombie apocalypse'. There are some background story of the attacker before this horrific event happened, but I will say this....just be safe out there, watch your backs, keep your love ones safe & sound, and pray for the best. I just hope all of this would be over and we just live on with our normal lives till its time for us to die individually, cause I really don't want to take my final breath being eating or scared for my life.
You sound like a great prophet.
The family of RUDY Eugene the guy who ate off the homeless dudes Face released a statement via CNN....."We are shocked and In disbelief that he would do this...because RUDY likes his meat MEDIUM rare" .......smh
Big like jay!
I don't think that guy was a zombie honestly. I asked my dad about it.
Would you date an ugly girl or kiss a zombie?
Someone armed better watch the victim or he is going to reanimate.
By way of mitigation, was the predator carrying a packet of Skittles ?
Was victim Mr Poppo of Italian European descent the victim of a "race hate" attack?
I guess you should know