NEWARK - Days after video of a brutal beating surfaced online, officials say they are stepping up crime-fighting efforts at one of the city's busiest intersections.

The disturbing footage surfaced Sunday just hours after a man was left visibly bloodied by several attackers at the corner of Broad Street and Market Street - the heart of the city's "Four Corners" historic district.

Though the incident occurred in broad daylight and carried on for several minutes, no police can be seen on the video, despite the presence of a mini-precinct less than a full block away.

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose called the incident "unfortunate", and said he planned to add reinforcement to the city's metro division - which patrols the areas in and around downtown - as a reorganization of police, fire and emergency management personnel allows for more officers to shift from desk duty to the street.

"I think that it's a systemic problem down Broad and Market," he said. "We have to make that a priority, because that is our central business district."

The history of Broad and Market is as old as the city itself. It served as a focal point as settlers began populating the area in the 17th century, and it remained the heart of the city's business district as booming industry fueled its growth through the 1800s and early 1900s.

An article published by the Newark Museum Quarterly in 1975 cites it as being, at one time, the busiest intersection in the United States.

As the city has declined, however, so has the once-mighty Four Corners. While signs of reinvestment are plain to see outside the Prudential Center just a block east, today much of the intersection is often rife with loiterers, many of whom offer drugs or loose cigarettes to passersby.

"From Branford Place down, I hear they're selling pot, they're selling pills," said Ambrose. "We can do more enforcement."

Police have tentatively identified many of the assailants in Sunday's beating, and Ambrose said detectives visited the victim at a local hospital earlier this week to assist with the investigation.

In the meantime, officials say they hope to prevent similar incidents in the future as downtown continues to attract steady interest from developers.

Mayor Ras Baraka said the city has several projects in the works around the vacant Riverfront Stadium and other parts of Broad Street, and will need to rely on police to ensure both residents and workers can feel safe on the streets.

"(Police) have to do better. We're going to put more walking patrols on Broad and Market, and enforce the laws down there," Baraka said. "Hopefully we get it done."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.