Berry Henderson, described by loved ones as a “gentle giant,” died of the injuries he sustained on May 20
Credit: KTLA 5/Youtube; gofundme
NEED TO KNOW
- Berry Henderson was allegedly attacked and killed by four men after defending himself from a biting pit bull on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on May 20
- Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack, with one of them identified as the dog’s owner
- Henderson’s family described him as a “gentle giant” and are shocked that bystanders did not intervene during the incident
A brutal stabbing unfolded in broad daylight on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, leading to the death of a man described by loved ones as a "gentle giant."
On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 20, Berry Henderson defended himself from an attacking pit bull at the bustling California tourist landmark, after which four men allegedly attacked him, according to KTLA. The outlet reported that one of the men was the dog's owner.
Henderson, 37, was standing by a bus stop near Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue around 3 p.m. when a dog chased him into the street and bit at his legs, surveillance footage shared by the Los Angeles outlet shows.
When Henderson pulled out a knife and stabbed the pit bull to defend himself, a group of four men, including the dog's owner, came over and began stabbing and punching him, KTLA reported.
Three of the alleged attackers "physically assaulted the victim using bodily force and a small bat," a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesperson told PEOPLE. The fourth "stabbed the victim multiple times with a knife." One of the attackers was armed with a machete, according to KTLA.
At one point, Henderson managed to get away from his attackers, with surveillance video shared by KTLA showing him visibly bloodied and stumbling across Las Palmas Avenue.
“He was running away,” Demeya Brewer, identified as Henderson’s cousin, told KTLA. “He was down on the ground, running away and they still continued to attack him.”
Ultimately, Henderson sustained multiple stab wounds in the attack and later died from his injuries at the hospital.
In a GoFundMe, his loved ones said that Henderson “wasn't sent to the local hospital but transported 20 minutes to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, where he later passed away from his injuries that evening.”
Credit: gofundme
The GoFundMe also states that the 37-year-old “passed away alone before our family could be notified.” The fundraiser calls Henderson's death an “unimaginable loss,” adding, “No family should ever have to learn of a loved one's death in this way.”
LAPD officers located and arrested three suspects, while a fourth man— identified as the suspect who allegedly attacked Henderson with a knife — initially fled and escaped custody, according to KTLA.
All suspects are now in custody, an LAPD spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE on Saturday, May 30.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
As for the status of the pit bull, the spokesperson said, "I will not be able to get information on the status of the dog at this time."
“My cousin was not a threat to anyone,” Brewer told KTLA of Henderson, who was a student at a local trade school. “This was his area, his neighborhood and business owners knew him and we just don't need that. We need more love and peace.”
Another one of Henderson's cousins, Sharon Grimes, told the outlet that nobody who witnessed the fatal attack on the Hollywood Walk of Fame attempted to intervene or get help.
“People around weren't doing anything,” she told KTLA. “I didn't see nobody try to come to his rescue, so. With all that blood, you know, it's … you wanna pick up the phone or scream or say ‘get away, ‘stop' or something, and I didn't see that.”
Credit: gofundme
The GoFundMe fundraiser created for Henderson's family echoes this sentiment.
“Witnesses watched in shock as the scene unfolded, leaving excessive blood across the sidewalk and walls nearby,” the fundraiser reads.
In the same GoFundMe, Henderson is described as “authentic” and “gentle.”
“Berry was like a gentle giant; cool, calm, authentic man who enjoyed music, spending time in the city he loved, and living life in his own peaceful way,” the fundraiser reads. “He was not homeless. He was deeply loved by his family and friends, and his life mattered.”
Read the full article here
