Cops Probe String Of Teens-On-Bikes Assaults

New Haven Independent ^ | Aug 2, 2013 | Paul Bass

[kevcol]

Police are investigating three possibly related attacks on people by teens on bikes in and around Edgewood Park.

The Independent reported Thursday on one such incident, which occurred around 5: 30 p.m. on Friday July 26 along the asphalt road that connects the park’s duck pond to the skateboard rink. A 63-year-old jogger was partway along that road when, he said, four teens on bikes rode passed. One turned around, rolled a bike at him to knock him over, then knocked him down again when he got up. The teens proceeded to punch and kick him, breaking an arm and cutting open his forehead, before fleeing. They didn’t seek to rob him.

On Friday, another Edgewood Park jogger related a similar incident to the Independent. Like the other jogger, he asked to remain anonymous.

This jogger had entered the park at Ella Grasso Boulevard and Chapel and started running down the hilly road toward the duck pond between 1:30 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 21, he said. He’s been running in the park for five years, he said; never before had he had a problem.

It was hot out; he had on shorts but no shirt. Four teens on bikes came zooming down the hill behind him, passing close to his body.

One of the teens held out his arm and struck the jogger on his neck. “I could tell from the way the kid hit me and looked at me, he expected me to go down,” the jogger said.

He didn’t fall. The kids rode ahead. The jogger kept running and came upon them under the bridge below Edgewood Avenue.

Three of the kids, whom he described as between 13 and 15 years old, moved behind him. “How’s your neck?” they taunted him. “What’s that on your neck?” They had beat-up bikes, he said; two of the bikes were girls’ bikes.

The kid who’d tried to “clothesline” him moments before stood in front of him. No one else was around. “He had jeans and a black shirt. He was heavyset. He could have had a weapon.” The jogger decided it wasn’t smart to confront the kids, so he turned around and jogged back toward the pond. More people were there. The kids rode off and didn’t bother him any more.

The jogger went home and called the cops. Three officers arrived at his home; one took a report.

Sgt. Al Vazquez, the police department’s chief of detectives, said the department received a report about a third incident that occurred within the same time frame several blocks from the park, at Ella Grasso Boulevard and Derby Avenue. A witness called police to say that a group of teens on bikes had ridden past a man, knocked him to the ground, then started beating on him. The victim fled; he never contacted police. Nor did police find a report of a beating victim entering the hospital for treatment.

Vazuez said the incidents “appear to be related.” Detectives have no leads yet but are actively investigating the cases, he said. He asked anyone with information to call the detective division at 203-946-6304.

The incidents do not appear to have approached the magnitude of the recent bloodying of a New Haven Power Sports technician on Goffe Street.

[calex59]

Okay, what I meant was even the tough kids didn’t attack innocent bystanders. There were gangs in my town who fought each other...and often very roughly sometimes with bats and chains.

We weren't a gang, we merely protected ourselves against the only gang in the area, the Pachukos, plus the non gang high school kids. Kids our age(around 5 to 9)were targets of these people and had to do something to protect ourselves when we were out and about.

The alternative was to sit at home all day long hiding. We chose not to be victims.

As I said we didn't hurt people without cause, only in self defense. We didn't steal, beat up or other wise harm others who weren't bothering us.

As for the Pachukos and weapons, they carried potatoes with razor blades imbedded in them(the old style double sided)bicycle chains and, on occasion, home made zip guns, with switch blade knives being owned by most of them.

The drug trade hadn't really started up yet so they couldn't afford real guns.