Attacks in S.W. Phila. injure two

Two residents of Southwest Philadelphia were injured - one of them seriously - in separate, recent attacks by youths engaging in a violent game they call "Catch and Wreck," police said yesterday.

A 12-year-old girl has been charged with aggravated assault and related offenses in an attack on a 42-year-old woman Friday night, and additional arrests are expected, Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives said last night.

In the game, children ages 9 to 15 congregating at the Finnegan Playground at 69th Street and Grovers Avenue beat and stomp adults they believe may be homeless, Walker said. He said neither victim in the two attacks was homeless.

Vincent Poppa, 73, remained at Methodist Hospital a week after he was hit in the back of the head with a gun, knocked unconscious, and stomped by four or five boys near the playground about 9 p.m. March 13.

Poppa, who suffered a heart attack during or shortly after the beating, was on a ventilator until Friday afternoon, Walker said.

Poppa was in the intensive-care unit in serious condition, Walker said.

Methodist Hospital officials declined last night to report Poppa's medical condition.

Poppa, a resident of a nearby senior citizens apartment complex, was attacked while returning from buying soda, Walker said.

When Poppa arrived at Methodist, medical personnel found footprints on his head and sneaker marks on his body.

"They were stomping him pretty hard," Walker said.

The Friday assault occurred at 8:30 p.m. when a large group of boys and girls surrounded Belinda Moore as she took a shortcut through the playground on her way home from a cleaning job.

She was hit with sticks and punched but broke free and ran to a nearby house, where a resident called 911.

Moore injured a knee and hurt her head, Walker said. She delayed seeking medical attention to help police in their investigation.

That night, police arrested the 12-year-old girl, who they said had hit Moore with a stick. They said they were expecting to arrest at least two other girls and a boy in connection with the attack.

Police still were investigating the attack on Poppa.

Authorities said they believed there may have been additional, unreported "Catch and Wreck" attacks.

Police learned about the game when they took a large group of neighborhood youths to Southwest Detectives for questioning Friday after Moore had been assaulted, Walker said.

"They were all saying the same thing, laughing at us, like we didn't know what it meant," Walker said. "They said, 'It's something stupid we do for fun.' "

Police, he said, believe it's a new phenomenon.

"It's a bizarre mind-set these kids have developed," Walker said. "We're hoping we can nip it in the bud."