Man beaten by 5 kids drinking in woods
But this weekend, that right of passage turned brutally dark in Folcroft when five kids from age 14 to 17 who were drinking in the woods beat the pulp out of a 31-year-old "concerned citizen" who dared to check on why there was smoke coming from the woods behind his house.
Man beaten by 5 kids drinking in woods
Stephanie Farr
Listen, I drank in the woods in high school. Granted, we had a lot more woods in central Pennsylvania and probably a lot more people with a lot less teeth willing to buy us beer, but I know the same thing goes on in Delco.
But this weekend, that rite of passage (which we here at Daily Delco are in no way condoning) turned brutally dark in Folcroft when five kids between 14 and 17 who were drinking in the woods beat the pulp out of a 31-year-old "concerned citizen" who dared to check on why there was smoke coming from the woods behind his house.
Folcroft Police Chief Robert Ruskowski said about eight kids were in the woods behind Windsor Circle, drinking beers and sitting around a bonfire around 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. A nearby resident came out of his house, saw the smoke rising from above the trees and went to check on the source.
What started as a normal conversation between the 31-year-old "concerned citizen" and the teens, ended up with five of the boys beating the man all at once, police said.
"Some of the kids we arrested this time we've had numerous times," Ruskowski said. "They're not even worth the air they're breathing."
The victim suffered two fractured eye sockets, a collapsed lung and a puncture wound to his back, among numerous other injuries. He remains in serious condition at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital.
"He has bruises from head to toe on both sides," Ruskowski said. "All over nothing."
After they beat him unconscious, the kids ran away and other residents concerned about the smoke from the woods went to check on the source, found the victim and carried him out, Ruskowksi said. Several of the kids who were in the group drinking in the woods but who did not participate in the assault came back and gave information to responding police officers.
Four of the five kids charged were arrested on the street and a fifth was arrested at his home, according to police.
"We had them in custody that night and they thought it was a big joke," Ruskowski said.
The teens have been charged as juveniles with aggravated assault and related offenses but Ruskowski said he'd like to see them charged as adults with attempted homicide.
"The violence is just unbelievable," he said. "I'm trying to calm the residents in the area who think it's time for some payback."
Usual suspects?????— SHARONANDTONE- Sounds to me like the police know about th area and the problem but are not patroling with any frequentcy, leaving the residents to worry about bonfires and drinking parites on a regular basis. Community service for this monsters should be cleaning up the grove they like to trash.— unbelieveable!
- Community service??????? — rgray58
- Lock the punks up. They probably thought he was going to take their beer. The cops let them back there so they can go raid their beer when they need it and it keeps them out of the neighborhoods.— alihajishank
- These are locals. The neighbors know them. Sue the parents. Throw the kids in jail as adults.— Tiller
- usual suspects. animals.— Tyrone Biggums
- He could have shot them all but then the media and Al Sharpton would be leading a witch hunt because they don't agree with the right to protect yourself.— Dunsmore
- kids?
Those are not kids..— Nitroglycerin - if you are old enough to drink you are old enough to be charged as an adult.— LGbalsac
Comment removed.- fire in my backyard = my business. violent youth = society's business. but probably not wise to confront a whole group of kids by yourself. unless you're bringing them more beer..
— Pluski - Police are not doing their job. They want the power and to push people around. But when it comes to locking up the usual suspects, they don't care. Too much paper work.— swimfishie
- So, the wolf pack here wants blood. Lock 'em up and throw away the key. Along with the 16 million other citizens to keep the private jailers happy. The guy was just trying to act tough and he got what he deserved.— edward44
- Got what he deserved? Listen up Eddie, when you grow up and move out of your Mom's basement you'll come to find that smoke in the woods behind your house is worth checking out, seeing as you actually pay for the place and own the stuff inside. Sounds to me like you're the one talking tough. Maybe there's something you deserve, genius.
Ohh, and sorry to interrupt your Call of Duty game. I'm sure you just missed your high score.— cogent1 - edward44 - why is checking on the source of smoke near your home "acting tough"? What do those kids know about fire? Do they know how DRY the month of March was? Do they know that fire can spread out of control very quickly? He did the right thing and they did the unconscionable. Kudos to the ones that did the RIGHT thing and told police who was responsible.— uncle meat
