Suspects sought in attack of 90-year-old veteran

Image 1 of 5

Winter Haven police are looking for two young guys accused of attacking a 90-year-old man in the parking lot of a Publix store.

The elderly man, a veteran of the United States Air Force, was backing out of a parking spot and bumped into the vehicle the two men were in.

“They get out yelling and screaming,” said Chief Charlie Bird of the Winter Haven Police Department. “There’s about six minutes of verbally berating this guy.”

As tensions escalated, Hiram Davis was walking out of the store and went over to help. He tried to defuse the situation, but couldn't.

“When I turned around they hit him, and when they hit him, he fell on the ground,” said Davis.

“He was ambushed,” said Chief Bird. “He got hit in the back of the head…That’s the true definition of a coward.”

The man fell face down and hit the ground hard, according to witnesses. He was taken to the hospital with cuts and bruises on his head and arms.

Meanwhile, as the suspects tried to drive away, Davis tried to stop them and was dragged. He was not seriously hurt.

Investigators are looking for two black men in their mid-twenties, driving a four-door black car, possibly a Kia.