Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said the elderly man was attacked Wednesday while visiting his son in a community that’s home to five suspects charged in an earlier beard-cutting attack linked to religious differences.

The sheriff tells media outlets in Steubenville that the Ashland County man had been invited to visit his son. Abdalla warned the son in advance that he didn’t want trouble.

The sheriff said the victim approached him after the attack and said he was scared and upset but would not press charges.

Cutting the hair or beard would be considered insulting among Amish.

Authorities in Carroll, Holmes and Trumbull counties are investigating similar alleged attacks.