A gang of six teenagers — including the “leader,” a 14-year-old girl — have been charged in connection with a series of broad-daylight physical attacks that occurred in the space of one hour last week in Philadelphia.
The minors — all students at Anthony Wayne School in Grays Ferry — were charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and other crimes in connection with the “unprovoked” attacks last Tuesday, WTXF-TV reported.
‘Of the six that were arrested, none of them were arrested before, which is very, very surprising. We’re not sure what caused them to do this.’
Some of their movements were captured on video the police department posted on YouTube. The video indicates that all of victims were attacked from behind and were punched in the head and face several times.
WTXF, citing investigators, said one of the teens punched a homeless man in the face near the intersection of 15th and Chestnut Streets around 3 p.m.
Philadelphia Police Inspector Raymond Evers noted that a 14-year-old girl, whom he described as the “leader,” minutes later punched a 24-year-old woman near 17th and Chestnut Streets, the station said.
The other teens joined in by punching the woman while she was on the ground, after which the victim suffered a concussion, investigators told WTXF.
Evers noted that the girl “leader” was “instructing the other kids what to do,” the station said, adding the Evers noted the girl was wearing “pink boots” and that the attacks were “unprovoked.”
Evers added to WTXF that the teens moved to the 200 block of North 19th Street where a 31-year-old man was punched and chased less than an hour after the first attack.
Investigators added that a 40-year-old woman was punched near the Target on 20th and Callowhill Streets moments later, the station said.
Evers said the 14-year-old girl “leader” turned herself in with her parents that day after police shared surveillance video of teens wanted for the attacks, WTXF reported.
The following day the other five teens surrendered to police while accompanied by their parents, Evers told the station.
“The parents were right on point,” Evers said, according to WTXF. “They saw their kids did something wrong … and … they turned their kids in.”
Evers added to the station that investigators are still trying to figure out a motive: “Of the six that were arrested, none of them were arrested before, which is very, very surprising. We’re not sure what caused them to do this.”
You can view a news video report here about the charged teens.
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Philadelphia, Teenagers, Minors, Unprovoked attacks, Physical attacks, Arrests, Aggravated assault charges, Police, Parents, Turned themselves in, Caught on video, Attacked from behind, Random attacks, Crime