Victim brain dead, another critically hurt after suspect attacked them with metal pipe, docs allege

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Court records allege a series of attacks with a metal pipe in northwest Harris County has left one man brain-dead and another critically hurt.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Man involved in 2 separate attacks that critically injured victims in NW Harris County, HCSO says

The documents say that first, a homeless man was attacked in front of a Dunkin' Donuts near State Highway 249 and West Road. Court records name the attacker as 28-year-old Joshua McDaniel.

"I said this guy might be dead cause his face was really pale and he was bleeding a lot," the manager of the Dunkin' Donuts, Israel, told Eyewitness News.

Harris County Sheriff's Office detectives said that not long after the first attack, they were called to a second, where a driver claimed to have seen McDaniel hitting a second homeless man with a two-foot metal pipe.

Both men were taken to the hospital, where court records say the first victim is critically hurt, and the second is brain-dead.

Documents say McDaniel was found riding a bike in the area and admitted to detectives that he fought with one victim in front of the Dunkin Donuts. Witnesses say McDaniel was heard shouting during that attack.

"He beat him up cause he slept with his wife and stuff like that, talking a whole bunch of nonsense," Israel said.

Records do not say if the victims had a connection to McDaniel or a possible wife.

Online records do show McDaniel has a history of arrests for violence. McDaniel's latest charge was late last year for felony abuse of the elderly. That case was dismissed when he was referred to mental health treatment.