I was driving home from Jujutsu in Staten Island to Long Island tonight. There was construction on the Belt Parkway so I got off to use the streets to get around the traffic. When I was on the corner of Fountain Ave and Linden Blvd (I believe that is the cross streets) I saw two african american teenagers (I shall refer to them as A1 and A2) chasing another one (I will refer to this teenager as V) down the street. When they reached the corner, A1 grabbed V by his backpack. They seemed to struggle a little, but I couldn't tell if they were just friends playing around or something more serious was going on. Then V ran into the street to get away from A1 after A2 caught up to them. As V ran into the street, A1grabbed his backback again and swept his foot out from under him, causing V to fall. A1 then began punching V in the face. I began honking my horn when I saw this and I dialed 911. V starts screaming for help. The kids continued to hit him and when they got his wallet and phone they ran away. The light turned green and I pulled up next to V and told him I had 911 on the line and asked if he was okay. I cannot believe the nerve of those two kids that robbed him. This was a very busy intersection, perhaps several dozen people witnessed this and as far as I can tell, I was the only one that made any effort to aid this kid that got robbed. I really didn't know what else to do but honk my horn and dial 911. I wasn't about to get out of my car and try to physically intervene, it seemed very unwise. If the two of them were willing to rob V in front of so many people in such a public area, I was not willing to risk my life for a situation unless I saw that V's life was in unmistakeable imminent danger. I'm left wishing I could have done more, but in the end I feel that I did all I could.
Comments (1)
Yes, you did just what I've been told we are supposed to do. Except I might try to also run over the robbers if I had a chance.