Man loses arm and nearly killed over Insane Clown Posse tattoo

Zachary Swanson had his arm carved into to remove the tattoo before attackers set his arm alight

Paul Hurst, left, and Cary Edwards. A Maryland judge has ordered two men held without bond on charges of attacking a housemate and trying to forcibly remove a tattoo from his arm (AP Photo/Wicomico County sheriff's office)

A man has had his arm amputated below the elbow and was allegedly "savagely beaten" by his housemates because he was deemed to have disrespected the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse.

Zachary Swanson, 31, was attacked by Paul Hurst, 33, and Cary Edwards, 35, at the house they shared in Hebron, Maryland, US, in a violent assault that lasted a period of hours, Sky News reports.

Mr Swanson was "savagely beaten and nearly killed" after Mr Hurst and Mr Edwards allegedly attempted to "forcibly carve out a unique tattoo" from his arm, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said.

Police said the pair attacked Mr Swanson in the early hours of Monday because they thought he had disrespected the Insane Clown Posse, and did not deserve to have the tattoo on his arm.

The tattoo was associated with Juggalos, who are fans of the rap group and who the FBI describe as gang-like. All three men were Juggalos, police said.

Both Mr Hurst and Mr Edwards then doused their housemate’s arm in a flammable liquid and set it alight after they couldn’t remove his tattoo, before leaving him on the ground for several hours without medical treatment.

The victim is in a critical but stable condition in Baltimore burns centre, and suffered fractures, brain bleeding, 11 broken ribs and a liver laceration.

"I can’t imagine the pain that the victim went through," Mr Lewis told Delaware Online, but, "to them, he had to pay the consequences," he added.

Court documents reportedly state that the pair were also upset with Mr Swanson regarding the treatment of his girlfriend, who was Mr Edwards’ sister.

Mr Swanson’s alleged attackers are being held without bond on attempted murder and assault charges.