Janitor assaulted by gang members for wearing the color blue fears for his life

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Madera police release new details about the janitor assaulted by gang members for wearing the color blue. The beating happened at a Madera Save Mart late Saturday night.

Police say the victim works at Mister Clean Maintenance Systems that does janitorial work for Save Mart. After speaking with the victim at length, police say the janitor is scared for his life.

Surveillance video from late Saturday night catches a glimpse of two men police want in jail. But it's the innocent janitor who was attacked off camera that many people in the Valley are keeping in their thoughts.

Madera police say the victim is in his twenties who has absolutely no gang ties. He just happened to be wearing the wrong color at the wrong time.

Detective Jason Gutknecht with the Madera Police Department said, "He was wearing a blue shirt which is the color of his company. And they came across them -- they're northerners so they claim the color red."

These two gang members caught on surveillance are accused of taunting, hitting and smashing a wine bottle over the victims head. The assault is gaining national attention, and makes people like Samuel Peterson scared to live in Madera.

Peterson said, "I used to wear red all the time like red shirts and red shorts but definitely not anymore. Not in Madera."

Detectives say it was a random and brutal crime and they're following up on several leads in hopes of finding the suspects. Meanwhile the victim is recovering from his head injuries and in fear the suspects will return.

Detective Jason Gutknecht explained, "He's a little worried that it's going to happen again because they know where he works."

Police say when arrested the suspects are facing multiple felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon and gang enhancements and possibly conspiracy to commit a crime.