Unprovoked attack at Kansas City homeless camp leads to man’s arrest

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A 51-year-old man could spend the rest of his life behind bars after an unprovoked attack at a Kansas City homeless camp.

Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Thursday, June 12, indicate that Hugh L. Riley, 51, of Kansas City, has been charged with assault in the first degree following an unprovoked attack.

A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City Police Department revealed that just before 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday, law enforcement officials received reports of a disturbance. Callers reported a man had hit a victim in the face with a wooden 2x4.

When first responders arrived, they said they found a man who matched the description of the suspect walking away from a nearby homeless camp. He was taken into custody and identified as Riley.

Emergency crews said they also found a male victim at the scene with a laceration to the left side of his face. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, where he told police Riley had attacked him unprovoked.

During an interview with investigators, they noted that Riley claimed he had been jumped when going to speak with someone at the camp. He said he hit the victim with the board in self-defense.

Detectives indicated that a witness at the scene corroborated the victim’s claims. It was also found that a metal fixture had been attached to the end of the wooden board; however, it remains unclear if the object was a bike sprocket, a nail or a knife.

If convicted, Missouri statutes dictate that Riley could be sentenced to life in prison. A bond review hearing has been set for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, with a preliminary hearing expected at 2 p.m. on July 9.

As of Friday, June 13, Riley remains behind bars on a $10,000 bond. No further information has been released.

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