Charges dropped against two men accused of assault in Greenville

Charges have been dropped against two men who had been arrested in what was described as a “brutal” assault that left a man in critical condition.

The men were arrested early Saturday on charges of second-degree assault and battery by mob, the Greenville Police Department said in a news release Saturday afternoon.

Officers responded around 12:45 a.m. to the intersection of East Washington and South Brown streets in downtown, where they found a man lying on the ground and unresponsive, according to the release. The man had a head injury, and had to be transported to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

Witnesses told investigators they saw three men begin attacking the victim “for unknown reasons,” according to the release. They continued the attack, which police described as “brutal,” even after the victim was unconscious, police said.

There was no word Sunday morning on what prompted the beating. Warrants say the attack was captured on video.

Second-degree assault and battery by mob is a felony that carries a minimum of three years in prison and a maximum of 25 years, under South Carolina law.

This story was originally published June 2, 2019 at 10:40 AM.