WAFF.com: North Alabama News, Radar, Weather, Sports and Jobs-Homeless man talks about Sunday night beating

Homeless man talks about Sunday night beating

A homeless man is recovering in a valley hospital after being beaten early Sunday morning.

Now he's telling his story exclusively to WAFF 48 News.

45-year-old Craig Rupert is in intensive care.

He's listed in stable condition.

He says he still sore, three days after getting beat up with bats, golf clubs, and fence posts.

He has an assortment of injuries.

Broken ribs, the worst of all, Rupert says.

He is the homeless man attacked by a group of teens early Sunday morning near his camp off Colonial Park Circle.

"They started throwing rocks, big pieces of concrete and stuff," says Rupert.

Rupert approached and requested they stop.

"They sorta surrounded me and I got it in the back of the head like a baseball bat and then it was just non-stop from there, just BAM, I mean there was seven of them," he says.

Seven on one. Rupert hadn't a chance.

"There wasn't anything I could do as far as fighting them off at one time because I'd try to push one of them down and BAM, I'd get smacked in the face," says Rupert.

Eventually, the ambush ended.

"They finally ran off laughing," he says.

With piercing cackles, from teens Rupert had spoken with in the past.

Acquaintances he now calls hoodlums.

"They did it for the kicks...because they knew who I was. I wasn't provoking them and they were just strictly out to do something like that," says Rupert.

Something landing him in intensive care.

"I'll be alright. It's just a little traumatic, you know, but I'll be alright," he says.  

Craig Rupert says he will not return to his old camp.

Instead he'll have to find another place to stay.

Meanwhile, Huntsville Police arrested and charged five teens, all 16 or younger.