Man beaten at homeless camp in South Richmond

A man was beaten in the head with a hammer and gravely wounded in an attack at a homeless camp in South Richmond.

Richmond police Capt. Paul Kiniry said the 49-year-old victim was taken to VCU Medical Center after Tuesday's 11:37 p.m. attack, and he underwent a surgery that lasted well into yesterday morning.

"He's got really severe head injuries," Kiniry said.

Kiniry said Maurice Fortune, 27, was arrested a short distance from the camp and charged with aggravated assault.

Kiniry said the attack occurred at a homeless camp near the 500 block of Maury Street after several regular residents complained repeatedly to Fortune about him making too much noise.

Fortune, described as an infrequent visitor to the camp, was urged to leave earlier in the evening, and he complied but returned later, once again angering those who were trying to sleep, Kiniry said.

At that point, Fortune produced a hammer and attacked the victim, who was in a sleeping bag, Kiniry said.

The camp is just west of Interstate 95's Maury Street interchange, in an area populated mainly by one-story warehouses, other commercial buildings and some vacant lots.

Contact Joe Macenka at (804) 649-6804 or .