Over €20,000 raised for homeless man who was hit on the head with heavy stone

A crowdfunding campaign has raised more than 20,000 euros for the homeless man who was seriously assaulted in Rotterdam earlier this week. An unknown man threw a paving stone on the head of the 37-year-old sleeping victim.

The homeless man, named Benjamin, was seriously injured and is in a coma in hospital. "Now that Benjamin is in a critical condition, we - his friends and family - want to do everything we can to ensure that he, when he wakes up, receives the best care and never has to sleep on the streets again," the campaign page states. "If there are any donations left, we will donate them to a homeless foundation to support others in a vulnerable situation."

The severe assault of the 37-year-old victim happened in the evening hours of Monday leading into Tuesday around 4 a.m. The perpetrator first walked past the sleeping man at the Maritime Museum on the Leuvehaven with two large bags. He then carried a heavy stone above his head, with which he hit the victim on the head before running away.

On the same day, the man was seen in Breda at around 7 a.m. He then took an international train towards the Belgian cities of Antwerp and Brussels, the police said on Friday. The latter therefore also called in the Belgian police to keep an eye out for him. It is not known in which direction the man then went or whether he is still in one of these cities.

“The police in Belgium are also now looking for him. The police do not rule out that he then left for another destination or returned to the Netherlands,” police said. The perpetrator was also carrying two eco-bags available in stores in Luxembourg.

The suspect is possibly homeless, between 30 and 40 years old, with darker skin tone and curly hair. During the attack, the man was wearing dark, possibly brown Asics shoes with bright red or orange laces, a black hooded jacket, and dark blue jeans. At the time of the crime, he was wearing dark sneakers with red-orange laces, a black hooded jacket, and dark blue jeans. Anyone who sees the man should not approach him and should call the police immediately.