Video of Auburn Homeless Pair Being Attacked Nets 3 Teen Arrests

Three teenagers are facing charges in connection with the alleged attacks on two homeless people, which were caught on video.

Who Was Attacked?

Auburn Police say were asked on Saturday to conduct a well-being check on a woman experiencing homelessness and also suffering from mental health issues. Officers finally located the woman on Hutchins Street near Moulton Field and determined that she had been the victim of an assault. She was with a man, who was also without housing, and police say he had also been attacked. The two people wouldn't provide any information to the officers about what had happened to them.

How Did Police Learn About the Video of the Alleged Assaults?

As police continued their investigation into the incidents, they began receiving calls from people alerting them to a disturbing video that was being circulated on social media. Officers watched the video and determined that it showed two juvenile females in Moulton Field attacking the homeless pair they had interviewed earlier in the day. Officials say two of the phone calls reporting the incident to police had come from the mothers of the two teens allegedly involved in the attacks and another had come from a mother whose child had seen the video online. Officers went back to the victims, but they continued to refuse to comment on how they were hurt.

Who Was Arrested?

After further investigation, Auburn Police arrested a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl, both of whom were allegedly depicted in the video, and charged them with aggravated assault. A third individual, a 15-year-old male, is charged with criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated assault for allegedly taking video of the incident. The 16-year-old is being held at Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, due to pending previous criminal activity. The other two teens were released into the custody of their parents. Their names have not been released because of their ages.

Auburn Police say they are now aware of similar videos that have surfaced as a result of the investigation and will seek criminal charges against anyone found to be involved.