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Police connect two attacks

Police have found connections between the assault of Springfield New-Sun News Editor Paul Profeta in the Meijer parking lot early Tuesday and another beating late Monday.

“Unfortunately we have another victim, but the victim is another set of eyes that are going to be able to identify these people,” Springfield Police Chief Stephen Moody said.

Three white men in their 20s confronted Waeshiea L. Sipes, 26, of Springfield, in the parking of Pizza Hut, 2501 E. Main St. about 11:10 p.m. Monday, according to a police report.

One of the men reportedly demanded money from Sipes, who was on her way home through the lot.

Sipes told the him she had no money, and he reportedly punched her in the mouth and struck her body multiple times with a bottle.

Sipes was able to escape the men and call police before she was hurt worse, Moody said.

Profeta was brutally attacked about one hour later on his way into the north entrance of Meijer, 1500 Hillcrest Ave.

Three men of a similar description charged Profeta from behind, and one of the men beat him over the head with a bottle while the others encouraged the assault, according to a witness.

The men fled in a mid-sized, dark colored car, Moody said. A fourth man possibly fled the parking lot with them.

Profeta was taken to Mercy Medical Center, where he was transported by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital.

He remains in the hospital’s intensive care unit, with a fractured skull and brain trauma from the beating.

Police want to talk to anyone coming or going from Meijer around the time of the attack, between 12:15 and 12:20 a.m. Tuesday to gather more information.

“We’d like to talk to them and pose questions to them so that they might reflect on things they might have seen,” Moody said, adding that sometimes people see details that they don’t realize are evidence until they are questioned.

“These men are cowardly individuals and the community needs to stand up to this, and I know they will,” Moody said.

Police ask anyone with information about the assaults or the suspects to call 324-7716.

Contact Natalie Morales at nmorales@coxohio.com.