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Boston man remains critical following violent attack in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, La. — A vicious attack in New Orleans left two men from Boston seriously injured, and the whole incident was caught on camera.

The victims, who have been identified as James Curran and Tim Byrne, were in town to attend the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, the annual meeting of the liberal religious association.

The graphic video shows the victims walking along the 200 block of Bienville Street about 9 p.m. Saturday when two men rush up behind them.

One of the attackers punches Curran in the head and then puts him in a choke hold and continues to punch him as he struggles to drag him to the ground.

MORE: Video shows two tourists from Boston being attacked in New Orleans

Almost simultaneously, another man delivers a swift blow to Byrne’s head, at which point the he collapses to the ground face first. The attacker quickly rummages through the Byrne’s pockets as he remains motionless while two other men run up and appear to help rob both victims.

The four robbers run away moments later as they throw Curran, who appears dazed, to the ground.

One of the robbers then runs back into frame and briefly lifts Byrne off the sidewalk by the back of his shirt, revealing what appears to be a large pool of blood, before dropping him back on the sidewalk and running away.

WARNING: THE VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT

Byrne remains motionless as he appears to gasp for air as his face remains against the brick sidewalk.

Curran eventually finds his glasses on the sidewalk and crawls to Byrne and appears to try to talk to him as two other people walk up to the men to offer assistance, with one taking out his cellphone, apparently to call 911.

“We told you we’d be coming for you,” New Orleans police Officer Michael Harrison said. “We told you we’d have an arrest.”

DeJuan Paul, 21, turned himself in to police Monday. Joshua Simmons was arrested on Tuesday for the robbery, said police. A third suspects remains on the run.

“If I were you, I would follow my friend’s lead and you should turn yourselves in as well because it’s only a matter of time before all of you are under arrest and you do not want us to come get you. Turn yourselves in.”

Curran is now back in Boston and Byrne remains in a New Orleans hospital in critical but stable condition.