A man is on life support after being brutally attacked near a Metrolink station in San Bernardino County.
The attack left Ronald Barre, 58, with debilitating injuries as the suspect remains on the loose.
On Jan. 26, Fontana police responded to reports of an injured man near the Metrolink station at 16777 Orange Way in Fontana.
Arriving officers found Barre lying on the ground and unresponsive. He was in critical condition and appeared to have been severely beaten, police said.
“It would have been between 10 o’clock at night on [Jan. 25] and 5 o’clock in the morning on [Jan. 26],” said Fontana police officer Steve Reed.
Surveillance cameras are installed in the area but because the attack happened overnight, buses that were parked there obstructed views of Barre’s attack.
Authorities are still searching for clues on the suspect or suspects involved.
“They believe he’s a transient who lived in the area,” Reed said. “We’re suspecting, but we don’t really have anything to go on that it might be another transient that fought with him, but we don’t know at this point.”
Police said the area is a common place for many homeless people to sleep overnight. Unhoused people also frequent the nearby bus and train stops.
“It’s a little hectic at times,” said Timothy Valedez, a Fontana resident who rides the Metrolink to work.
Valedez said it’s tough to hear about Barre’s attack but said he wasn’t too surprised it happened.
Frequent riders such as Charlotte, a Los Angeles resident, also agreed.
“It’s everywhere now,” she said of violent incidents. “You hear people say, ‘Oh, not in this neighborhood,’ but that’s not the case anymore. It’s everywhere and it’s unfortunate.”
The assailant remains at large and no description is known as detectives continue investigating. It’s also unclear if more than one suspect was involved in the attack.
Barre was transported to the hospital in critical condition and remains in a long-term care facility. Authorities said he is on life support and the prognosis does not look positive.
“If anyone has any information or they’re familiar with him, any of his acquaintances, please contact the Fontana Police Department so we can look into those leads because we’re looking for anything that can help,” Reed said.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass recently addressed the string of high-profile crimes targeting Metro riders on bus and train lines across the Southland in a Thursday press conference.
Bass, who serves as chair of the Metro board, said she directed an “immediate surge” of law enforcement personnel on Metro buses, trains and stations to address the troubling uptick in violence.
The ongoing attacks have led to Metro bus drivers staging a “sick out” and one Metro board member saying she was “afraid” and would not ride the system alone.
The attack near the Fontana Metrolink station remains under investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have witnessed anything unusual or has any details on the case to call Detective Patty at 909-356-3391 or email at jpatty@fontanaca.gov.