A 25-year-old Alabama man made a horrifying discovery while taking a walk in the affluent Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia.
Police are investigating the shocking find, described as a young man barely breathing on the train tracks, bleeding from his face and head. The man’s partner, Colin Kelly, tells CBS46 News that his ‘heart sank” when police called him with devastating information about his partner of nearly four years, Joshua Dowd. 28-year-old Dowd had suffered severe blunt force trauma to his head and was rushed to Grady Hospital, where he is reportedly clinging to life.
Kelly shared with police that openly gay Dowd, also of Asian descent, went out with friends in Midtown Atlanta on Saturday night. Eventually, Dowd left his group of friends after some time together, but how or why he ended up alone, beaten on the train tracks near Piedmont and Lakeshore Drive remains unknown. With Asian hate crimes on the rise, potentially such a motive might be considered as police look for answers.
“I don’t know how he got there. It’s not an area he would typically be in,” Kelly said. “As far as I can tell, someone hit him with something very hard on his head. I really hope we get answers because someone hurt him,” Kelly said. “He’s fighting very hard for his life right now, but someone hurt him, and it’s very severe.”
Dowd’s best friend Brittany Rivera is heartbroken over the incident and tearfully tells CBS46, “It’s been really rough, and I’ve been trying to be strong for everybody. “I’ve never actually experienced this type of heartbreak before.”
Rivera describes Dowd as ‘precious’ and says she “can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her best friend,” whom she has known for ten years. Dowd now remains in the hospital with severe brain damage as his partner, family, and friends hold on to the hope that he may recover. But the situation looks grim. They have started a GoFundMe campaign to assist with Dowd’s medical assistance, and they ask anyone with any information to come forward to help bring Dowd’s attacker(s) to justice.
An excerpt from the GoFundMe page shares that Dowd, still in a coma, has undergone brain surgery for his injuries,
“The doctors are not sure what the outcome will be, but we are all hopeful he will come out of this. Joshua is the most kind, caring, spirited, Ariana Grande-loving person on this planet. He has changed the lives of many.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Joshua Dowd and his family, and if you would like to donate, you can visit the GoFundMe link here.
Atlanta police spokesperson said the case is still under investigation. Anyone with information, please call APD / (404) 614-6544
Read more on this story at CBS46 News
