Posted on 01/14/2005 5:21:26 PM PST by Straight Vermonter
Back from the Marines and two combat tours chasing the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan, Joseph Singer found more trouble than he ever expected just two blocks from home.
Tuesday night, Singer, 22, and his father, Bruce Singer, 50, both of Revere, fended off an attack by knife and shovel-wielding punks that left the younger Singer stabbed in the gut.
``They were vicious, godless animals, that's what they were,'' Bruce Singer said yesterday.
About 6:30 that night, Joe Singer was on his way home to have dinner with his dad when he saw some youths throwing chunks of ice at some cars on Crescent Avenue, and saw that his dad had pulled over to confront them.
``It's the neighborhood I grew up in. I asked these kids, what's the problem?'' Joe Singer said yesterday from his bed at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he is recovering from a stab wound. Singer served in Afghanistan in the initial combat around Kandahar in late 2001, and went back to hunt the Taliban in 2003.
The youths, five or six of them, began arguing and kept throwing ice balls.
``My son said, `Let's get out of here. Let's get the cops,' '' Bruce Singer said. That's when, they said, the punks came at them with snow shovels and sticks, backing Joe up against a fence.
``I was doing all I could to defend myself,'' said Joe Singer, who said he was hit in the head and arms as he tried to fend off the blows. One of the attackers pulled Singer's shirt up and over his head, trying to immobilize him. Then one of them pulled out a buck knife and stabbed him in the gut.
``I felt it and I saw the knife. Now I was in fear for my life,'' Joe Singer said. The kids bolted. ``They must have seen the blood and got scared. There was a lot of blood.''
But they didn't get far. Bruce Singer was able to show the police where they were hiding under a tarp in a backyard nearby. Michael T. Whalen Jr. and Vincenzo DiLeone, both 18, of Revere were charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Detectives are considering whether to up the charges.
In his hospital bed yesterday, Joe Singer said, ``It's sad. It's a lot different even than four years ago when I was in high school. Everybody's in a gang, everybody's using OxyContin. It's crazy to come back to stuff like that. You can't even walk down the street.''
Bruce Singer said, ``He came back from Afghanistan without a scratch. Two streets away, he almost got killed.''
Wow.
Hey, it's kerry and kennedy's state. What else would you expect?
Somewhere there's a lesson in this for the whiners who try to get out of overseas duty.
I live in Texas, if these kids had done that here they might have been shot, and the cops would have let the shooter go after questioning him.
Feral teenage street punks will kill you, Marine or not.
Bad odds and no personal weapon.
Tough break kid.
Good possibility they would have been shot where I live also.
O'Reilly is about to discuss this on The Factor...
What's to consider? It's clearly attempted murder.
Sounds like Joe Singer needs to have a few of his platoon buddies come for an L-O-N-G leave for a little CORPs community work. Office hours waived go directly to the Gunny for '58 Paris Island motivational correction for the turd attackers.
I have him on... thanks
My mistake- a different story on a Marine- sad.
bump
Ignore the Bozo.
MA does have concealed carry. Licenses are issued at the descretion of local police chiefs, and many are pro-gun and will approve licenses. Applicants must first pass an NRA certified training course, then apply to the State Police through the local police.
I had a concealed carry license in Yarmouth, MA for two years before I moved out of state. My license even allowed firearms with expanded magazine capacities, e.g., 15 rounds.
I watch Bill occasionally. I don't hate him- nor am I a great fan. Now and then he has good people and interesting debates.
I know, my mistake. I meant "will issue".
We certainly DO.
Trouble is, in some open-sewer scumbag cities it is difficult to get one.
The of course does not affect anyone who ignores the rules.
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