CAIRO — Police are looking into two weekend incidents where Hispanic males were targeted, assaulted and robbed.

A police incident report states that the first victim, 44-year old Alvaro Hernandez, was standing outside his residence on the 500 block of 10th Avenue Northeast Saturday evening when he was accosted by four Black males who began hitting him in the face.

Alvaro told police the assailants knocked him to the ground and began kicking him.

The thieves grabbed $350 in cash from Alvaro’s pocket before running away in an unknown direction.

Alvaro had “visible injuries” on his face when officers arrived, the incident report states.

Alvaro said the suspects were about 18 years of age and wore jeans and black shirts.

The incident occurred Saturday at around 8:30 p.m.

A second incident occurred the following night when Aurelio Gomez, 55, and Phillipe Tomas, 38, were approached near the intersection of Fifth Street Northeast and Ninth Avenue Northeast, according to a police incident report.

Gomez and Tomas told police the two suspects attacked them as they were making their way on foot to a nearby convenience store. The suspects first knocked the victims down and began kicking them, then demanded their money and their wallets.

Gomez and Tomas, who relayed their story to police through the help of a translator, said they fought back against their attackers and yelled for help.

The suspects ran off in an unknown direction when neighbors came to Gomez and Tomas’ aid.

A subsequent search of the area was not able to locate either suspect, who were described as tall, young Black males with longer hair, possibly dreadlocks. One suspect wore black shorts and a white shirt. Investigators were unable to obtain a clothing description for the other suspect.

No property was stolen during the incident, which occurred Sunday at around 6:30 p.m.

Both Gomez and Thomas were kicked in the back, legs and abdomen, with Gomez experiencing cuts and abrasions on his arms.

Police chief Giovannie Santos said the two incidents are believed to be related due to certain similarities in the circumstances.

“In these cases Hispanic males were approached by a group of what has been described by the victims … (as) young Black males wearing dark clothing after patronizing local convenience stores,” Santos said. 

Anyone with information regarding either incident is encouraged to contact investigator Tyron Griffin at (229) 378-3096. Information provided can remain confidential.