BALTIMORE — A homeless man faces attempted murder charges for the brutal beating of another homeless man outside a Baltimore library.
According to charging documents, Carlton Brooks, 28, attacked the victim in an unprovoked manner and continued to stomp and kick the man in his face after he'd already lost consciousness.
The alleged incident happened overnight on May 18 outside the Enoch Pratt Library at the intersection of Cathedral and W. Mulberry Streets.
A witness initially told police the 54-year-old victim was assaulted while sleeping, but detectives wrote in charging documents that he was on his feet before being knocked to the cement and dragged along the sidewalk.
Police were only able to identify the victim by his library card found at the scene. His name was not publicly released.
As of May 21, the victim remained unconscious at the hospital with an apparent brain injury.
Camera footage of the assault gave investigators a good description of Brooks.
Library security was familiar with Brooks due to his frequenting the area.
On May 20 security saw Brooks again and called detectives.
It was then police realized he was also wanted in connection with a November 2022 aggravated assault at a Charles Village Starbucks
In that case, Brooks allegedly went inside the Starbucks on St. Paul Street requesting a cup of hot water.
When an employee handed it to him, Brooks allegedly went and tossed the boiling water in the face of a seated customer.
The Starbucks manager recognized Brooks from panhandling in the neighborhood.
The victim in that incident suffered only minor injuries.
