Gay man found bleeding and barely breathing on train tracks in Atlanta
Victim is currently hospitalized after undergoing brain surgery to treat injuries sustained from blunt force trauma to the head.
Atlanta police are investigating after a gay man was found barely breathing and bleeding from the head on train tracks in the Buckhead district of Atlanta.
Joshua Dowd, 28, was found on the train tracks near Piedmont and Lakeshore Drive by a 25-year-old passerby who made the discovery while walking in the area on Sunday, according to police.
Dowd, who suffered a blunt force injury to his head, was rushed to Grady Hospital, where he underwent brain surgery. He currently remains hospitalized, and is believed to have suffered brain damage from the attack.
Colin Kelly, Dowd’s partner, says Dowd went out with friends in Midtown Atlanta on Saturday night, but at some point got separated from the group. It is unclear where he went and with whom prior to the discovery of his body.
“I don’t know how he got there. It’s not an area he would typically be in,” Kelly told CBS affiliate WCGL. “As far as I can tell, someone hit him with something very hard on his head.
“I really hope we get answers because someone hurt him,” Kelly added. “He’s fighting very hard for his life right now, but someone hurt him and it’s very severe.”
The man who first alerted police to Dowd’s body told authorities that there was no one nearby when he discovered him, according to a police report. The report also noted there was a homeless camp “not too far from where” Dowd was found.
See also: Doctor has his jaw wired shut in anti-gay attack in New York City
The incident is currently listed as a “miscellaneous non-crime,” but Atlanta police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding Dowd’s disappearance.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Atlanta Police Department at 404-577-TIPS(8477) or e-mail the anonymous information using the online form at www.crimestoppersatlanta.org. Tipsters who provide information that leads to a case being solved can win a reward of up to $2,000.
In the meantime, Kelly’s family and friends have started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover Dowd’s medical expenses as they hope for him to recover.
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