Victim of brutal Metro attack wants justice

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A man who was badly beaten after he says he tried to break up a fight on the Metro is sharing his story with FOX 5.

Anthony Thomas, 46, was hit over and over early Sunday morning on the Green Line. He says he was trying to stop an altercation between two teenagers and a 54-year-old man. Video of the fight posted to Facebook went viral.

"I remember when he hit me the first time, but don't remember much after that," said Thomas.

Thomas says a man started cursing at the teenagers after they put their feet up on the seat behind him. Words turned into a physical fight.

"I said, ‘I was like damn, why did you hit those kids?' He came at me. I got kind of smart with him too. He came at me and started beating me for no reason," said Thomas.

The victim's injuries are extensive. It starts with a broken jaw and a fractured cheekbone. His lip needed seven stitches. He is taking painkillers and antibiotics and has surgery scheduled for Friday.

"They're going to put a plate in and I'll be drinking through a straw for the whole entire time. I know I'm going to lose a lot of weight," he said.

Thomas says he didn't want to press charges until he saw his face and then the video. Despite the pain, Thomas says he doesn't regret stepping in to help, but now he wants justice.

"I think he needs to go to jail for this and I think Metro needs to put some more security on these trains," said Thomas.

The mother of one of the teens involved wants to press charges. Metro says this is an active investigation. They are working in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney's Office at this point. No arrests have been made.

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