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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, May 14, 2005

Two men sought in soldier's beating

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

A New York man and local police are asking for the public's help in identifying two men who beat and stomped a soldier outside a fast-food restaurant on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki early Sunday morning.

Bill Baird said friends of his stepson, Army Pfc. Brandon Scott, have told him that Scott and several other soldiers went to Waikiki to celebrate a soldier's birthday, and they stopped at an automatic teller machine about 3 a.m. to withdraw money.

Baird said his stepson, 19, was standing near the ATM with the other Schofield Barracks soldiers, all of whom were in civilian clothes, when two men approached and punched his stepson without warning, knocking him to the ground.

Baird said witnesses described how the two men continued to kick and stomp on his stepson's head as he lay motionless on the ground.

The assailants, who were described as being muscular, ran in the diamond head direction on Kuhio Avenue after the beating, Baird said. One attacker was wearing black shorts and a black shirt, while the other man wore denim jeans and a white T-shirt.

Baird said his stepson underwent emergency brain surgery at The Queen's Medical Center a few hours after the incident and was moved to Tripler Army Medical Center on Thursday.

Police initially classified the case as an assault after Scott was taken to Queen's in serious but stable condition. The case was reclassified as an attempted murder after Scott's condition deteriorated to critical after his arrival at Queen's.

Police investigators believe words may have been exchanged between Scott and at least one of the men who beat him before the incident started.

Police ask anyone with information about the case to call the police CrimeStoppers program at 955-8300.

Reach David Waite at 525-7412 or dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.