911 callers report fight in face-chewing attack

[June 02, 2012]  MIAMI (AP) -- Several people called 911 after witnessing events related to the vicious attack of a 65-year-old homeless man whose face was mostly chewed off along a busy Miami highway, according to recordings released Friday by authorities.

Callers only reported seeing two men fighting in the shadow of The Miami Herald headquarters but did not mention seeing Ronald Poppo's face being chewed.

Surveillance video shows Rudy Eugene, 31, attacking Poppo alongside the highway last Saturday afternoon. A police officer fatally shot Eugene during the attack. Police have not released a motive for the attack.

"He's going to kill that man, I promise you," a female bus driver said, urging a 911 operator to send help. Poppo remains hospitalized.

The driver, who wasn't named by authorities, described the scene as she drove by.

"Listen, there is a naked man on the MacArthur Causeway," she said. "He is beating another man to a pulp -- like on top of the man, beating him, the man is bleeding."

Another caller said the two men were fighting, saying they nearly knocked over an elderly bicyclist.

"These two bums were going at it with each other, taking up the whole lane," the caller said. "I think they were fighting or something."

The unidentified man gave his phone number to the 911 operator. He declined to comment when contacted Friday evening by The Associated Press.

A second male caller didn't mention the fight, instead reporting that he saw a man taking off his clothes and throwing them into traffic.

"You can't miss him. He's naked," the man said.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.