Officials with the Clarksville Police Department continue to investigate a brutal assault on a couple that was caught on camera.
Police released a surveillance video of 10-15 people brutally kicking and punching a couple repeatedly at Lincoln Homes.
The incident happened at around 7:30 p.m. on August 10.
The victims say they confronted the group about sitting on top of and around their car. Police say the couple told the group to leave several times before the suspects approached them in a threatening manner and attacked them.
The video shows the victim being pushed to the ground and assaulted for about 20 seconds before the group separated.
The victims were treated for assault injuries.
Lincoln Homes is in Ward 6 of Clarksville and is represented by councilwoman Wanda Smith. She was afraid the recent incident would only shed even more negative light on a community she considered peaceful.
"Some people come over to start trouble with the people who live here," Smith tells NewsChannel 5.
Smith questioned the details of the incident after she spoke to several witnesses. They claimed the victims were threatening in manner first.
"A neighbor said it is common for people to sit around cars," Smith says. "She said a man came out and cussed at the group and told them to get off their m-f car and called them the n-word."
Smith added that one of the witnesses saw the woman start cussing at the group too before the attack.
"The n-word will cause young generations to fight, it's a provoking and a really bad word," Smith includes.
The councilwoman says she is not taking sides but feels the group may have been provoked judging from witness statements.
"When you're provoked to do something I don't think you're calling it taking a step further," Smith says. "I think it's called defending yourself."
Smith also questioned whether or not the group may have been assaulted prior to what the video shows.
Nevertheless, Smith wanted to remind the young people of the neighborhood to walk away from the situation instead of responding with violence.
In her opinion, majority of the crimes that took place at Lincoln Homes are caused by visitors and not residents.
Clarksville police ask if anyone can identify the people in the video or has information to call Detective Adrian Anderson at 931-648-0656 Ext 5534. You can also call the CrimeStoppers TIPS Hotline at 931-645-TIPS.
