Posted on 06/05/2008 1:05:45 PM PDT by TexasNative2000
HARTFORD, Conn. - A 78-year-old man is tossed like a rag doll by a hit-and-run driver and lies motionless on a busy city street as car after car goes by. Pedestrians gawk but do nothing. One driver stops briefly but then pulls back into traffic. A man on a scooter slowly circles the victim before zipping away.
The chilling scene — captured on video by a streetlight surveillance camera — has touched off a round of soul-searching in Hartford, with the capital city's biggest newspaper blaring "SO INHUMANE" on the front page and the police chief lamenting: "We no longer have a moral compass."
"We have no regard for each other," said Chief Daryl Roberts, who released the video this week in hopes of making an arrest in the daylight accident last Friday that left Angel Arce Torres in critical condition.
The hit-and-run took place about 5:45 p.m. in a working-class neighborhood close to downtown in this city of 125,000.
In the video, Torres walks in the two-way street just blocks from the state Capitol after buying milk at a grocery. A tan Toyota and a dark Honda that is apparently chasing it cross the center line, and Torres is struck by the Honda. Both cars then dart down a side street.
Several cars pass Torres as a few people stare from the sidewalk. Some approach Torres, but most stay put until a police cruiser responding to an unrelated call arrives on the scene after about a minute and a half.
The police chief told The Hartford Courant that he was unsure whether anyone called 911.
"Like a dog they left him there," said a disgusted Jose Cordero, 37, who was with friends Thursday not far from where Torres was struck. Robert Luna, who works at a store nearby, said: "Nobody did nothing."
One witness, Bryant Hayre, told the Courant he didn't feel comfortable helping Torres, who he said was bleeding and conscious.
The accident — and bystanders' callousness — dominated morning radio talk shows.
"It was one of the most despicable things I've seen by one human being to another," the Rev. Henry Brown, a community activist, said in an interview. "I don't understand the mind-set anymore. It's kind of mind-boggling. We're supposed to help each other. You see somebody fall, you want to offer a helping hand."
The victim's son, Angel Arce, begged the public for help in finding the driver. "My father is fighting for his life," he said.
The hit-and-run is the second violent crime to shock Hartford this week. On Monday, former Deputy Mayor Nicholas Carbone, 71, was beaten and robbed while walking to breakfast. He remains hospitalized and faces brain surgery.
"There was a time they would have helped that man across the street. Now they mug and assault him," police chief said. "Anything goes."
Councilman Matthew Ritter said police can do only so much.
"The citizens are the city," he said. "Everybody has a part to play. Call 911 and reach out."
Soul seraching?
The uber-liberal New England states HAVE no souls.
Wouldn’t happen down South or Texas. Not in the Bible belt anyway, we take care of neighbors and strangers. Another liberal infested city with the same selfish result.
The end result of banning God and Jesus from the public. Darwinism has replaced them.
Vid here also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s4zAh3-HEE
If someone tries to help him and he dies, his family will sue.
“...Call 911 and reach out.”
BULL.
“911” is part of the problem. Our children are indoctrinated to “believe” that it’s the job of the police, or fire and rescue, or ANYONE else, BUT NOT THEM, to help others.
Wow...those street surveillance cameras have really contributed to public safety! I wonder if they gave this guy a ticket for laying in the crosswalk on a red light.
The more socialism, the more we hate our fellow man.
Watch the video. Those people showed the same amount of concern over this man getting hit as they would a squirrel.
Disgusting.
Wouldn't happen in Colorado Springs, either. The first military member (active or retired) who saw the man would have stopped.
No, these people understand that you intervene at your own peril. I would not want to face a lawsuit from the family if I moved the man and caused more damage. I would stay with the guy to prevent further injury, but would not touch him.
Hate to admit it, but politics influences culture, even at the local level. The lack of responsibility is shocking.
Thank you John Edwards, et al.
That is just an excuse for NOT helping others.
It is also NOT a problem; at least not here in Virginia (and, I think, MANY other states).
The “Good Samaritan” Law protects you from those sorts of law suits. If you, in good faith, attempt to help someone else then you will be safe from ridiculous law-suits, regardless of the outcome.
And even if the law did NOT exist, your argument is STILL just an excuse to avoid doing your duty as a citizen of a civilized nation.
In this case the camera’s seem to have done some good. It gave Hartford a good glimpse of itself.
Where was the Seinfeld episode located where they prosecuted Jerry and friends for not helping the mugging victim?
Park Street in Hartford....terrible area, bad element.
According to our liberal educators friends, this guy is just a highly evolved squirrel, so what’s the difference?
Matthew 24:10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. This behavior is brought about by many things, and liberalism breeds this behavior. No one cares because it is somebody elses job to help out people, not theirs.
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