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Police Investigate Alleged Tattoo Attack in Mayfair

By Walt Hunter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police are questioning four people about an alleged "tattoo attack" on a 52-year-old man inside the basement of a Mayfair home in which, the man claims, he was held down twice over 48 hours and tattooed repeatedly.

Detectives say the man first called "911" at mid-morning telling police about the attack inside the home, where he lives in a basement apartment with three men and a woman.

"It appears that these are all individuals that he knows, associates of the complainant, so this is not like this is a random incident," Lt. John Stanford of Philadelphia Police said.

The four people are now being interviewed by detectives, but no charges have been filed.

Police say the tattoos, nearly a dozen in all, fully covered the lower part of the man's arms. They included obscene images and racial slurs, according to investigators.

As they learned about the investigation, neighbors reacted.

"Just horrible that you would do that to somebody and put obscene tattoos on them is awful," neighbor Andrea Buchanan said.

So far detectives, who executed a search warrant on the around 5 p.m., say they know of no motive for the alleged attack.

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