WASHINGTON -
A brutal fight on a moving Metro train has gone viral. It happened on a southbound Green Line train over the weekend and the incident was captured by cell phone.
There are a couple versions of the video circling social media. They have been shared tens of thousands of times with people marveling at the brutality of the fight.
But the mother of the victim burst into tears when she saw it and she said it is not something she can watch at all.
The video posted on Facebook and Twitter is now part of an ongoing investigation by Metro Transit Police.
(WARNING: This video may be difficult to watch for some people. Viewer discretion is advised.)
In one clip posted to Twitter, you can see a man, who says he is 54 years old, approach some teenagers and start slapping them. A man identified by his family as 46-year-old Anthony Thomas Jr. can be seen sitting while this is happening.
The next video shows Thomas being repeatedly punched by the 54-year-old man. Thomas' family believes he stepped in to help the children and then took the brunt of the attack himself.
The incident goes on for several minutes, and at one point, Thomas takes a punch that knocks him all the way to the floor.
The victim's mother said her son now has a broken jaw and cracked ribs and she wants the aggressor punished.
Metro said they identified Thomas and the 54-year-old at the Southern Avenue Metro station following the incident. But Thomas declined to press charges and there were no arrests.
“It's terrifying,” Thomas' mother told FOX 5. “It's my child. I just want them to see how bad he was beaten. That's what I want.”
We asked her how she felt about it happening on Metro.
“I didn't like it because there was nobody there to rescue him, nobody helped him and I'm very upset,” she said. “But I guess it's really not their fault because stuff happens.”
Metro Transit Police said they were contacted by parents of the juveniles seen on the video who reported the assault, but neither was hurt.
Metro Transit Police are still investigating the incident.
They said if riders see a fight break out on a train, you can press the emergency intercom button for help, call 911 or text a tip to MyMTPD.
