Four men have been arrested in a Florida bonfire beating that left a 19-year-old with a concussion after investigators say he was punched, kicked, mocked, and filmed while begging for the violence to stop.

Video

The attack happened during the early morning hours of October 23 at a bonfire party in Tiger Bay State Forest near Daytona Beach. According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the victim has a physical disability that limits the use of his right hand, making it difficult for him to defend himself.

Authorities initially arrested Cody Stripling, 18, and Sabastian Bowers, 19, on October 31. However, the investigation led to two additional arrests on November 4. Logan Levesque, 18, and Casey Knight, 19, were also taken into custody. Investigators identified Knight as the person who recorded the disturbing encounter.

All four face charges including aggravated abuse of a disabled adult, aggravated battery, and battery by strangulation. As of November 5, they were being held without bond.

According to arrest documents, the young man attended the gathering with a friend but initially stayed inside his friend’s truck for about an hour because he felt uncomfortable around people he didn’t know. Eventually, he worked up the courage to join the party and socialize.

The Florida bonfire beating reportedly began after his friend temporarily left to drive several partygoers home and pick up others. While waiting for his friend to return, the victim was sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck when Bowers and Stripling approached him.

Investigators say Bowers began confronting and slapping the victim before Stripling joined in, allegedly punching and slapping him. Bowers then reportedly threw him to the ground, where the violence continued. Deputies allege that the victim was repeatedly kicked, including with work boots, as other people stood nearby.

The recorded portion of the Florida bonfire beating shows the victim struggling to protect himself while several people surround him. At one point, he repeatedly asks, “what did I do?” as the assault continues.

Rather than helping, the person recording moves his phone closer to the injured man and tells him to “smile.” The victim, who was bleeding from his mouth, attempts to push the phone away. The cameraman then scolds him for touching it.

The footage also captures people mocking the victim as he tries to understand why he is being attacked. According to investigators, Bowers grabbed the young man’s hair and pulled his head backward while making insulting remarks about his injuries.

The victim continued asking what he had done to deserve the treatment. “What did I do to you all?” he pleaded.

Investigators say the Florida bonfire beating lasted approximately 30 to 40 minutes, based on the victim’s account, although the publicly released video shows only a portion of the incident. His friend eventually returned and reportedly found Stripling holding him in a chokehold.

The friend intervened, pulled the attacker away, and helped the injured young man leave the gathering.

Medical personnel later determined that the victim had suffered a concussion. Deputies also documented injuries including cuts, bruising, and swelling affecting his face and other parts of his body. Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the victim is expected to recover.

The sheriff’s office reported that the victim has a visible birth defect affecting his right hand and limited use of that hand. His mother also told investigators she believes he may have a mild mental disability, although that condition has not been formally diagnosed.

Investigators have examined a possible explanation for the attack. According to additional arrest reporting, the victim’s friend was told that the group became upset because the victim allegedly made an inappropriate comment about a woman and brushed against someone at the party. Authorities have not established those claims as fact, and the victim told deputies he did nothing to provoke the assault.

Following the first two arrests, Chitwood publicly condemned the suspects, writing, “If you’re a decent person, this video will disturb you. Obviously it didn’t bother Cody or Sebastian.”

The additional arrests brought new attention to the person filming the Florida bonfire beating. Investigators say the footage circulated on Snapchat before becoming evidence in the criminal investigation.

Chitwood also criticized the people who watched and recorded the violence instead of stepping in. During a November 5 interview, he questioned how anyone could treat an attack on someone with a disability as entertainment.

Florida law treats aggravated abuse of a disabled adult as a first-degree felony, which can carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years if a defendant is convicted. The aggravated abuse charge is separate from the additional battery counts the four men face.

The investigation has also drawn attention to gatherings in remote wooded areas around Volusia County. Chitwood said authorities have encountered multiple incidents involving fights at these parties and are working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to monitor locations where the gatherings occur.