Posted on 07/25/2007 2:02:33 PM PDT by Daveinyork
Jul 25, 2007 — Standing with blood pouring from a deep gash in his head, two eyes nearly swollen shut and a broken nose, Richard Hupper was "almost zombie-like" as David Yates asked him questions about what happened inside a restroom at Farquhar Park Sunday. People were screaming as parents frantically grabbed their children when Hupper stumbled out of the restroom covered in blood, Yates said.
Yates used his cell phone to call York County 911 to request police and ambulance for a man who was brutally beaten when he left an outdoor concert by the York Symphony to use the restroom, near Kiwanis Lake just before 7:30 p.m.
While on the phone, Yates relayed questions from the 911 dispatcher to Hupper, who gave his name and said he was attacked by three teenage males as a fourth stood outside as lookout.
Looking inside at the blood-covered floor and walls, Yates said Hupper was standing at the urinal when he was attacked from behind by his assailants who came out of the stalls.
"There was blood spattered everywhere. It was a pretty gruesome sight. It was very quick and very brutal," Yates said.
Yates was part of a group of people who aided Hupper until help arrived. One man kept pressure on the gash to control the bleeding. A woman, picnicking in the park, brought over ice to control the swelling. Others prayed.
"What occurred was brutal and gut-wrenching but the inherent good that resides in the majority of folks was in plain sight immediately following the attack," said Yates, of York.
As the concert went on, word quickly spread inside the park and out in the community about the Hupper beating.
Hupper's name is well known. He was a superintendent at Southern School District who retired in June 1999 after 27 years in education. He was the superintendent of record at York County School of Technology and continues to be an education consultant.
Hupper, 65, of Spring Garden Township, was also a supporter of the symphony and a former president of its board.
Jerri Groncki, a Southern school board member, said she heard about the attack from a friend who was attending Sunday's concert.
"This is horrible. The fact that we can't go into the city and see a concert in the park without getting attacked, I just can't fathom that," she said.
Police do not know if the attack was an assault or attempted robbery. Nothing was taken from Hupper, Police Commissioner Mark Whitman said. Investigators are also exploring the possibility that the beating may be gang-related, he said.
Hupper was treated and released at York Hospital Sunday for injuries to the face, head, body and arms by what police believe were fists, Whitman said. His glasses were also broken.
"We understand the fear. We are working hard at this. We are hot on their trail. We will bring them to justice. It is just a matter of time," Whitman said.
Hupper has declined to speak about the attack.
Hupper's brother-in-law, former U.S. Rep. Bill Goodling, said Hupper's face and head were swollen and he lost a lot of blood.
"It could have been a near-death or death experience," Goodling said.
Goodling said he will respect Hupper's wishes not to discuss the attack, outside of saying Hupper is doing well for what he has been through.
"He doesn't want the attention. He has been through enough," Goodling said.
Dr. Thomas Hensley, superintendent at Southern, said he is "appalled." He said Hupper is a well-respected educator, committed to students and Southern School District, which named the high school auditorium after him as a tribute.
"It is another senseless act of violence we are seeing today. There was no reason for that to occur. It is a shame," Hensley said.
Hensley spoke with Hupper, who assured him that he would recover and was doing better.
Hupper was attacked about midway through the concert that was attended by nearly 300 people, said Henry Nixon, executive director at York Symphony.
Whitman promised an increased police presence at the outdoor concert series, which will continue over the next three Sundays, Nixon said. Mayor John Brenner said portable toilets will be placed closer to the historic bandshell so people will not have to walk downhill to the restroom where Hupper was attacked, he said.
Dr. Charles Chodroff, president of the York Symphony Board of Directors, said his thoughts go out to Hupper and his family. He said that he hopes the "brutal" and "senseless" attack does not discourage people from attending the outdoor concerts.
"The orchestra concerts will go on," Chodroff said.
Brenner said the attack is a terrible tragedy and seems to be random. He said he and his son, Sam, just used the bathroom last week.
"This was an act of violence. These individuals were hell-bent on violence. They were literally beating him for no apparent reason," Brenner said.
ROBBERY, VANDALISM At Penn Park
Police said a York man was robbed at gunpoint Sunday as he was sitting in Penn Park.
Alberto Torres, 50, told police he was at the park at 6 p.m. when he was approached by two men.
One of the men pointed a gun at Torres and demanded his belongings, police said. Another man came from behind and took his laptop computer; a portable CD player; his wallet, which contained $150 and identification; and his Casio watch, valued at $250.
The men then fled east toward the basketball courts at the park, police said.
Farquhar vandalism
Three teens caused about $1,000 in damage to the Farquhar Park Pavilion on Monday, police said.
Shortly before 11 a.m., two 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old broke a number of pickets from the pavilion's railings, according to York City Police. The vandalism was caught on tape by surveillance cameras, and officers found the teens, police said.
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QUOTED What people said, both in person and from comments on http://www.ydr.com. Comment directly on stories by going to ydr.com and scrolling to the bottom of a story, or post on The Exchange at exchange.ydr.com.
· "We will get these knuckleheads off the streets and ask for the fullest extent of punishment possible," York Mayor John Brenner said.
He said he hoped York County residents adopt a stiff upper lip.
"If people stop coming (to the parks), the cowards could win," he said.
· "I am not going anywhere and I will still go to the concerts," nearby resident Harry Kehler said.
· "We really need the support of the city administration and the police," city resident Tom Barstow said. "Sometimes they send mixed messages. They suggest they have bigger problems. Well, we have big problems too."
· "I'm really surprised because he wouldn't hurt anybody," Joan Krebs, a day custodian for 28 years with the Southern York School District, said about the attack on Richard Hupper.
She described the former superintendent as friendly, hard-working and dedicated to the school. He would always listen to peoples' problems and help in any way he could.
Krebs said she hopes police catch those responsible. "I'll be praying for him tonight, making sure he's OK."
· "Oh my gosh, that's terrible," Keith Gordon, co-owner of Bonkey's Ice Cream in New Freedom, said Tuesday afternoon when he first heard about the attack.
· Tom Penn, 71, of New Freedom had read an article in the newspaper about the attack, but he didn't realize the victim was the former school district superintendent.
He noted that the city has had a rash of people being attacked.
"They keep trying to get people to come downtown, and this publicity is not good," Penn said while relaxing on his front porch and talking to 70-year-old Joe Cunningham of Stewartstown.
Cunningham jumped in, saying it's not really any safer in the country, either.
People need to take control of their children, Penn said.
"It's just a sad thing that it keeps occurring and there's no reason for it," Penn said.
· "Only cowards beat up on people. But you're really scum when you have to do it in a group and to an older person. When is this going to stop in the city? At a well-attended concert? That is really bad. At least there were some kind people there to render aid."
- used to live in the city, on ydr.com
· "This is why we need castle doctrine in this state. I have heard that the police commissioner does not want vigilantism to start but if the situation does not get under control that is what is going to end up happening. People will only take so much. Those that can leave will. Those who are too afraid will hide in their homes until it comes into their homes. All the others will either roll over or snap. I fear for this city. Mr. Mayor, please do SOMETHING before the people of this city do it for you."
- Man in Black, on ydr.com
· "Well, I don't have a whole lot to say about a lot of the comments on this page. But I know one thing, I ever catch the kids that jumped my child I'm gonna drag them to their house because I'm gonna want to talk to the mother - up close and personal.
"I used to love this town and now I can't wait to get away from it. I know crime is EVERY WHERE, but it's out of control and when you have the Mayor telling us it's all in our heads there is no where to go but down.
"Where does the Mayor live?"
- mOTHER OF 4, on ydr.com
· "I used to live in York, moved away to Pittsburgh for college in 1986 and never returned. I still have a soft spot for my hometown.
"I lived two blocks from Kiwanis Lake/Farquhar Park on a little street off Parkway, and do not remember stuff like this. My parents still live there, and I worry about them.
"The neighborhood was pretty good when I grew up there after the riot stuff settled down (1970s-1980s) and I never felt like it was unsafe right up until recently.
"The race of who does this is irrelevant; I had plenty of friends of all races from that neighborhood. What is much more relevant is the mayor needs to take this much more serious than he appears to be doing.
"Hopefully, this gentleman will have a full recovery."
Oxymoronic
Given the thousands of deaths of innocent civilians every year in the major cities, shouldn't we admit defeat and withdraw from the endless quagmire?
I know that this isn't a major city.
They may catch them, but I doubt they will be brought to justice.
susie
Where’s York? ...York, Ontario, Canada?
May have missed this in the article but this story is from York, PA for those of us unfamiliar with the area.
I went to the article, and still could not figure it out. There is a York County in PA and also in VA.
susie
Thanks!
Any idea what big city this is near?
susie
“Where’s York?”
York, Pennsylvania, where the Continental Congress met in 1777-1778 while the British occupied Philadelphia and the Continental Army wintered at Valley Forge.
York is fifty miles north of Baltimore, and right between Lancaster and Gettysburg.
Who
Where
What
How
Why
even though to-be-laid-off members of the MSM know these aspects of
reportage...occassionally Free Republic folks don’t know them
(or benignly forget them).
Yep, I’m been guilty of such an offense on a few posts.
Racist!
/sarc
Just pre-empting the inevitable.
Thank you, I am geographically challenged about the Northeast.
susie
Let the punishment fit the crime. Do the same to the perps as they did to this guy.
LOL—ok, just call me a xenophobe and get it over with!
;)
susie
I know that doesn't help for people unfamiliar with York, but it is the first thing I think of.
And South Carolina.
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