Suspect charged with beating fellow homeless man to death during clash at Brooklyn park encampment

A 61-year-old suspect has been charged with beating a fellow homeless man to death during a drunken clash at their encampment in a Brooklyn park, police said Monday.

Raul Hernandez was charged Saturday with murder and weapons possession, police said.

Hernandez allegedly attacked the victim about 1 p.m. Friday during a drunken argument at their encampment on a handball court on the Brooklyn side of Highland Park, cops said.

The victim may have been struck with a knife, police said, though a weapon was not recovered. from the scene near Jamaica Ave. and Cleveland St. in Cypress Hills, cops said.

Medics rushed the victim to Brookdale University Hospital, where he later died. He is believed to be in his 50s but police are still trying to determine his identity,

The killing may have been retaliation for a previous fight, cops said. A woman who lives nearby told the Daily News Friday the two men and a third man “argued sometimes about territory, who got to sleep where.” Her husband, who like his wife declined to give his name, said he had earlier in the day had beers with the victim and suspect.

“Me and my wife used to bring them food and drink beer with them, have a good time. I was with them earlier and we were just hanging out,” said the man. “When I came back I saw the police tape and one of them was dead.”