Mom Says Son's In Rough Shape After Brutal Light Rail Attack

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A South St. Paul man is in serious condition after he was beaten and robbed while waiting for the train in downtown Minneapolis.

Christopher Spencer, 33, was leaving work when he was confronted by two young men Sunday night at a light-rail platform.

According to police, the pair robbed Spencer after they kicked and beat him repeatedly.

Spencer is a new dad, works full time at a downtown Minneapolis restaurant, and he's also working to finish culinary school.

His mother, Michelle Spencer, says he was attacked by strangers and will now spend months -- maybe years -- getting better.

"Christopher did nothing Sunday night to warrant this attack," she said.

Michelle says her son left work around 10 p.m. and rode his bike to the light rail platform on 5th Street and Hennepin Avenue. He soon realized he was not alone.

"He got to the platform, and, all of a sudden, these two young men came up and started talking smack to him," she said.

Michelle says her son got off his bike and tried to reason with the teens.

"They hit him, and he says that's the last thing he remembered," she said. "But according to the film, it shows that they just started pummeling him and started kicking him all over and beating him all over and they smashed his head to the concrete."

The two young men got away with Spencer's wallet, backpack and cell phone.

Michelle credits Minneapolis police for getting the help her son needed, quickly.

"They attended to my son, got him in an ambulance, to HCMC and went to look at the film and got the boys immediately," she said.

It was video from cameras on the light rail platform that led police to a 15-year-old and a 14 year-old they believe are responsible for the attack.

Michelle says her son is in bad shape.

"You could tell he was trying to fight back for a while because his hands are all bruised and bloodied," she said. "He's got scaring on his head, stitches, some of his hair is gone."

Michelle says she wants the two teenagers responsible for hurting her son to get help, she also has a message she hopes they take to heart.

"The only thing I can say to them, and it came from Tupac Shakur, only God can judge me now," she said.

Michelle says because of the beating he took, her son may have permanent hearing loss. He also suffers from massive headaches.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Spencer, his fiancée and his new baby girl.