An elderly man was violently assaulted by a 6ft man in a luxury SUV during a road rage attack near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 

The 74-year-old was attacked on Fuller Road and Marie Ann Terrace in Centerville, on September 9 between 8 and 9pm according to the Barnstable Police Department. 

Detectives investigating the case have reported the assault could have started with a road rage incident. Police officials have searched for a suspect described as a white 6ft tall stocky man around 30 years old.

He was driving a newer model Volkswagen SUV in a dark color with a VW emblem illuminated on the car grille. The driver could possibly have had a passenger in the car during the attack. 

The identity of the elderly man has not been released.

Only six days before the assault, the Barnstable Town Council voted to end police department flock cameras. 

During the meeting, the town council voted 7-3 to end its contract with Flock Safety and discontinue their use of four Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) readers.

The camera system was created to capture, read and record vehicle data to compare with police databases. It can also generate alerts and create records of vehicle activity, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The four cameras were previously stationed in different areas around the Barnstable community. 

Police Chief Jean Challies and Detective Lt Joseph Green spoke with Barnstable residents and addressed their privacy concerns during the Town Council meeting. 

'Taking the cameras down does not reduce crime. It does not lessen the need for investigative tools for us to use, and it doesn't take away privacy concerns,' Challies said in the meeting. 

'People from all over come here, and they expect that we're going to be able to keep them safe. There's a lot of demands on this department, so we want to be able to use the technological resources that are available to us, and we are committed to using them safely,' she said. 

The Barnstable Police Department has urged councilors to allow them to continue using the technology as an investigative tool to prevent attacks such as the road rage incident. 

'If ALPR cameras had still been operational, ALPR technology could provide the Detective Division with an additional resource to identify the suspect vehicle, potentially generating critical leads in a serious assault investigation,' Barnstable Police Lieutenant Kevin Fullam told The Daily Mail in a statement. 

Other communities in Massachusetts have also canceled their contracts with Flock Safety in the past few weeks. 

'The Wilmington Police Department, in recognition of privacy concerns expressed in our community, is terminating its contract with Flock Safety and will remove both existing cameras as soon as possible,' the Wilmington Police Department wrote in a statement on Facebook. 

Earlier in September, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy of Waltham had announced a call to action for cameras to be covered by black trash bags in protest, according to the Waltham Police Department. 

Residents have sparked controversy on social media in support and in disapproval of the technology. 

One Facebook user wrote: 'Maybe we should have a serious conversation about how much surveillance we're willing to normalize BEFORE it's everywhere.'

Another wrote: 'These cameras solve crimes, find stolen cars, and help catch people who think they can get away with anything. Honestly, I think every neighborhood should have more of them. If that offends you, maybe ask yourself why you're so worried about being on camera.' 

The suspect's vehicle was last seen driving toward Fuller Road after the attack. The elderly man was taken to Cape Cod Hospital to be treated for significant injuries. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and Barnstable Police Detective Eric Rogorzenski for comments and additional details.