Latest news with #communityAdvocate
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Teens attack 2 girls with bat, shave 16-year-old's head in NYC park assault: ‘Vile and inhumane'
A group of teens brutally beat two girls in a Queens park with a baseball bat — and even shaved the head of one of the victims in a horrific caught on video attack that a relative said was like an attempted 'execution,' The Post has learned. The 13- and 16-year-old friends were playing basketball in Flushing's Kissena Park around 6 p.m. on May 2 when a group of older kids approached and began an argument. At least four 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old dragged the girls to a wooded trail and ruthlessly whacked them with the bat, according to police and video clips of the incident posted to social media. One of the tormenters allegedly shaved part of the 16-year-old's head with a portable hair clipper, and the mob fled with her cell phone and the younger girl's $558 limited edition Air Jordan 4 White Oreos, leaving the victims bruised and swollen, police said. A brute in a black and red hooded sweatshirt could be seen whaling on the 13-year-old with the bat as she lay on the ground curled into a ball, according to disturbing video posted last week on Instagram by the advocacy group Asians With Attitudes (AWA). He then ripped off her sneakers and pummeled her again. The assailant then sat the victim up, and appeared to take a piece of clothing off of her, according to the footage. The girl appeared limp by the end of the attack, the video showed. 'This was a planned, vicious and inhumane assault . This wasn't bullying, it was torture,' one community advocate said in a response video. The victims knew their attackers, according to police, who did not reveal what the kids were beefing about. The victims were both Chinese and the attackers reportedly appeared to be Asian as well. The incident has not been deemed a hate crime, authorities said. One of the girls lost consciousness during the two-hour ordeal, World Journal, a Queens-based Chinese newspaper reported. The family shared photos of the older girl on a hospital gurney with her back covered with massive bruises and a patch of hair missing from right above her forehead, World Journal reported. 'The whole process was like an execution,' an unnamed relative told the outlet, adding that the victim struggled to even speak after the attack. Police are treating the incident as a robbery, since the group made off with the younger girl's sneakers and the other victim's phone — but the victims' families have called for further investigation. So far, the NYPD has arrested three 17-year-old males, a 17-year-old female and a 16-year-old boy on a slew of charges including felony robbery, assault, gang assault, strangulation, harassment, weapons possession and grand larceny. Four of the alleged attackers were arrested a week after the incident and a fifth was arrested on Monday. The Kissena Park beatdown comes less than a year after the terrifying rape of a teen girl in the same green space. A 25-year-old migrant attacked that victim, 13, typing up her and a male friend at knifepoint in a wooded area of the park. Christian Inga was indicted in September for kidnapping, robbery, sexual assault and rape in the incident, according to officials.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Metrolinx removes graffiti on rail bridge on Weber Street in Kitchener
Metrolinx crews began cleaning up graffiti on a covered rail bridge on Weber Street in Kitchener, Ont. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) A rail bridge in Kitchener is looking a little cleaner thanks to a fresh coat of paint. Metrolinx crews were spotted painting over graffiti at the covered bridge on Weber Street near Victoria Street Friday morning. A community advocate who lives nearby said it is in part thanks to his persistence. Lane Burman said he's been lobbying the city, Waterloo Region and Metrolinx to remove the graffiti on the bridge for a long time. 'It's just the slow gears of bureaucracy grind slowly and now two years, almost two years later, we've finally got the graffiti removed,' Burman said. 'It's a very pleasant sight to see.' Metrolinx crews covered rail bridge on Weber Street Kitchener, Ont. Metrolinx crews began cleaning up graffiti on a covered rail bridge on Weber Street in Kitchener, Ont. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) Burman said the graffiti first showed up about eight years ago. The bridge was installed in 2013 during the widening of Weber Street. '[It's] our entrance into our downtown and our exit from our downtown. And there's graffiti all over the place. We don't want it in our neighborhood,' Burman said. Metrolinx sent out a notice saying the work would take over the course of two days and part of Weber Street would be closed. But crews wrapped up in only a few hours. A spokesperson confirmed the work is complete and added Metrolinx is only responsible for the rail bridge and not the concrete walls around or below it. There is still visible graffiti in those areas. 'I was under the impression that they were going to fix all the graffiti. I think after being on site today, I think maybe there's more emails to go out. Just understand who's going to remove the rest of the graffiti,' said Burman. Metrolinx graffiti rail bridge Weber Street Kitchener Metrolinx crews painted over graffiti on a rail bridge at Weber Street in Kitchener, Ont. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) CTV News reached out to the Region of Waterloo to ask who is responsible for cleaning up graffiti on the concrete walls. The region said it was looking into it. Burman said he is still very happy with how helpful and responsive the region and Metrolinx has been. He encourages others to keep trying if they are in a similar situation and looking to get something fixed or changed in the city. 'You can't just complain. You have to do something about it. You have to be patient about tracking it down,' he said. Some don't mind the tagging. 'As long as it is not obscene or derogatory to someone, it's fine,' a nearby resident said. Burman said he doesn't mind graffiti in areas where it is allowed. He is also suggesting a different form of art could be included on the rail bridge in the future. 'We could add an art installation here. I think it can be beautified,' he said. Burman said he would be interested into speaking to other Kitchener residents who might have ideas for the rail bridge and surrounding areas.
