Man charged with assault of unhoused people in Philadelphia

Man charged with assault of unhoused people in Philadelphia

Naeem Morgan, 27, is accused of assaulting multiple unhoused people in Philadelphia on the Fourth of July.

PHILADELPHIA - District Attorney Larry Krasner announced charges against a man accused of assaulting multiple unhoused people in Philadelphia on the Fourth of July.

Naeem Morgan, 27, is accused of the attacks that were captured on video and circulated on social media. 

What we know:

Police say they began investigating videos posted to social media that appeared to show a man yelling at and assaulting unhoused people in Philadelphia.

Investigators determined the attacks happened during the early morning hours of July 4th outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Naeem Morgan, 27, was identified as a suspect using video of the assaults and police body camera footage from a previous domestic incident he was involved in.

Morgan has been charged with possessing and instrument of crime, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment. 

What they're saying:

District Attorney Larry Krasner called the case "certainly upsetting, but not new" during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. 

"There's actually, sadly, nothing new about people who pick on the poor, people who pick on people who suffer from disabilities, people who are addicted, people who pick on people who are involved in sex work," Krasner said. 

He brought up the 2023 case of DShawn Crawford, who was captured on surveillance video stabbing two unhoused people as they were sleeping. He recently entered a guilty plea of 40-80 years in prison.

"For anyone who is thinking about engaging in similar behavior: we're coming for you," Krasner said. "It does not matter that these victims are not rich, it does not matter that they are not connected, it does not matter that they face challenges – you mess with them they're coming for you."