A victim of a violent beating aboard a Metro train that was caught on camera had tried to come to the aid of two juveniles, according to a police document.
The Good Samaritan ended up with a fractured jaw, fractured cheekbone and lacerations on his lips that required seven stitches.
A charging document obtained by News4 on Monday said the assailant was allegedly angered by two juveniles on a Green Line Metro train traveling toward Anacostia.
William Nelson, 52, was arrested and charged last week with felony assault in the June 7 incident.
Police say Nelson of Morningside, Maryland, is the man seen attacking another passenger in a cellphone video that shows riders scrambling to get out of the way of the altercation.
A man in the video, whom police say is Nelson, is seen punching the victim repeatedly for several minutes, leaving him bloody and dazed.
According to the document, the incident began when two juveniles boarded a train at L'Enfant Plaza and sat behind Nelson, who appeared to be asleep. The juveniles put their feet on a window between them and Nelson, at which point Nelson awoke, saying, "Can you stop kicking the glass before I smack one of 'yall," according to the document.
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The three got into an argument, and both juveniles moved away, but Nelson allegedly continued to speak to both of them, telling one, "I will shoot you in the face." Nelson then allegedly slapped that juvenile on the back of the neck and began to punch the other juvenile in the face.
The young victims then switched train cars, where another person tried to intervene. Nelson then allegedly assaulted that person as well, according to the document. The violent beating was captured on video by another passenger on the train who was not involved.
Following the beating, Nelson was stopped by police and allegedly told them that he was being followed by the Good Samaritan. Another witness then intervened and told police Nelson had assaulted three people on the train.
The Good Samaritan initially declined to press charges, and Nelson was let go.
However, the juveniles told their parents about the incident once they got home, and the parents then contacted Metro Transit Police. The juveniles showed officers video clips showing the assault against all three victims, which had been posted online.
One juvenile was unable to identify a suspect from a photo lineup. Police say the second juvenile identified Nelson. The Good Samaritan was uncertain at first, but ultimately also identified Nelson from the lineup, police said.
