Two men who attacked a Springfield Army veteran after he tried to break up a domestic dispute haven't been identified.
Seth Shope, 26, of Springfield, said he was attacked early Sunday morning on Jefferson Street. He witnessed two men assaulting a woman and ran to help. The men then began beating him, police said, and he sustained several injuries, including a brain bleed and multiple fractures to his face and both eye sockets.
Shope was was taken by CareFlight from Springfield Regional Medical Center to Miami Valley Hospital. He remained in the Dayton hospital in serious condition on Monday afternoon.
"I got hit in the face with a pair of brass knuckles ... after that I don't remember much," he said Sunday night from his hospital bed.
Shope couldn't describe either man and couldn't communicate well with investigators due to his injuries, according to a Springfield Police Division report.
His wife, Rachel Shope, 25, told investigators that a woman who lives at the Jefferson Street home where the beating occurred knows the suspects, but wouldn't give her any information to identify them.
The incident started with a couple arguing loudly, Seth Shope said.
"There were several small children watching so I went over to break up the situation, tell them they don't need to be doing that in front of kids. Go somewhere else," he said.
Rachel Shope said she is more scared now than she was during her husband's five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I felt very uncomfortable when my husband was deployed, but he did what he had to do," she said. "And to have that feeling when he's home, it's awful."
Greg McAfee, owner of McAfee Heating & Air, a veteran, is offering a $5000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the two individuals who attacked Mr. Shope.
McAfee is a former Marine who happened to be recovering from surgery at Miami Valley Hospital Sunday evening when Seth Shope and his wife came in.
When he learned what happened to the veteran who served in Afghanistan, McAfee wanted to do what he could to find the persons responsible.
If you have information regarding Mr. Shope's attackers, contact the Springfield Police Department at 937-324-7685.
Bada Bing! Pizzeria in Springfield also is offering help. The business posted on its Facebook page that if customers see and mention the Facebook post, it will donate 10 percent of the bill to the Shope family for medical bills and other related expenses. The pizza shop has also offered the family a year of pizza from Bada Bing.
It also has offered a reward of a year's supply of pizza to the person that provides information to police that will lead to an arrest.
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