Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s help to locate the suspects in what’s described as a vicious assault in Burien of a hearing-impaired, 18-year-old man.

The man’s injuries were originally thought to be life-threatening, but he is now in extremely serious condition at Harborview Medical Center, said Sgt. John Urquhart, a spokesman for the King County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred sometime overnight, July 19 or 20.  Burien Police learned of the assault in a 911 call at about 7 a.m. the morning of July 20, according to Urquhart. The caller said there was a bloodied and staggering man in the street directly across from Sylvester Middle School, 162221 Sylvester Road S.W., in Burien.

Police found the man a few minutes later. He had suffered a serious head injury. He could not talk due to his hearing disability and assault, but kept pointing over toward the school, according to Urquhart.

Deputies and police checked the school and found some of the man’s belongings, including a blood-stained sleeping bag and blood on the wall of a school breezeway. They also found his hearing aid, which was now broken and inoperative.

Detectives believe the man was sleeping outside at the school when attacked. The man is homeless from time to time.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.