Tuesday, February 1, 2011

'Bullying' Teens Busted After Beating 13-Year-Old [VIDEO]

Police arrested seven teenagers at a school in suburban Philadelphia after a video one of them shot showed them beating a 13-year-old boy, tossing him in a tree and then hanging him from a wrought-iron fence by the hood of his coat.

The seventh, and final teen was arrested today after six others were led out of their school in handcuffs Monday. "It's bullying. It's bullying in America at its worst," said Michael Chitwood, superintendent of police in Upper Darby Township, Pa., according to NBC's "Today" show.

Nadin Khoury, 13, says he was on his way home from school when seven older teenagers jumped him and began punching and kicking him outside an apartment complex. One of his alleged attackers filmed the assault, which went on for more than 20 minutes before a woman driving by the scene leapt out of her car and chased the bullies off.


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"There's nothing you can do," Khoury told Fox 29 in Philadelphia. "You can't fight back or it comes down even worse. You can't say anything except call for help." Khoury said the group of teens has targeted others as well. "They do it for no reason," he said. "Anybody that's smaller than them, just to get their kicks."

Khoury was not seriously injured in the beating, but he has been unable to go to school because of the threats he and his family have received since the Jan. 11 attack. He said the teens, who range in age from 15 to 17, had bothered him before and said his family will likely have to move to a different town. He also told Fox 29 that he believed he had been targeted because his family is from Liberia.

On the video -- which the teens later posted to YouTube -- Khoury's attackers can be heard laughing at him as tries to get away. And one young woman, apparently a fellow student, is seen on the tape ignoring Khoury's cries for help and simply walking away.

Chitwood said people need to take responsibility for bullies in their communities. "I find it offensive when members of the community stand up and talk about the cops not doing something when not one person called 911," he said.

The teenagers were arrested and booked at a juvenille detention facility on charges of kidnapping, reckless endangerment and assault. "We're dragging them out in handcuffs," Chitwood said,according to the Delaware County Daily Times. "We want to send home a message that this type of behavior will absolutely not be tolerated."

Khoury said he plans to testify against the teens in court. "Don't be afraid to speak out; tell somebody what's going on because if you tell them, maybe this will happen and somebody will take action," he told NBC.

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