Homeless man beaten in Eastern Market as attackers shout racial slurs

DETROIT (WJBK0 - Police are searching for three suspects they say jumped a homeless man in Eastern Market on Wednesday, beating and stabbing him while shouting racial slurs.

"I'm praying for you brother and I love you, man. Just thank God you still here, man," said Lawrence Taylor, a friend and witness.

He's relieved to learn his friend, 48-year-old Randolph Davison, will survive after being stabbed in Detroit's Eastern Market.

Taylor says he can't believe how quickly things escalated.

He says around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, he and Davison had been sitting outside chatting near Russell and Alfred when three white men walked by them.

"My buddy walked toward the fence right there and the guy threw something at him, and started talking some language," Taylor said.

Taylor says they threw a brick, and the language was racist.

He says the men kept swearing and calling Davison the N-word. Davison became upset, and began to approach the suspects.

"I couldn't get up in time ... but I kept telling him man don't go down there," Taylor said.

Davison confronted the men and during the scuffle, Detroit police say a man stabbed Davison in the thigh.

Witnesses sitting outside of Bert's Bistro... the men just walked away.

Taylor says Detroit police arrived quickly and rushed Davison to the hospital.

Davison, recovering Thursday tells Fox 2, he's still in a lot of pain but the words said to him were even more painful.

"I feel kind of bad because when they walked by they were saying a bunch of racial slurs," Davison told Fox 2's Erika Erickson on the phone.

The three men who attacked Davison are described as three white males -- one wearing red shorts, with a pocket knife in his side pocket.. He had shaggy hair and was about 6'4"-6'5".

" We need to get more understanding with each other out there in society," Taylor said.

Another was shorter, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans.

Taylor, who is sickened by the attack, is just glad his friend is going to be OK.

"Keep your head up. I'm here for you no matter what. I'm here for you and I love you," he said.