Today, a YouTube video has gone viral that shows the vicious and cruel beating of a teenager by six individuals who are now being held by Chicago police for charges related to the beating. Two more men are being sought in addition to the six behind bars this afternoon. Because of its graphic nature, we are not placing the video here but those interested can see the video at any of the news sites linked in this post.
The boy was hurt by the assault which took place behind a local elementary school.
According to news reports, this beating was done in response to an earlier attack, where 20 people assaulted two teens. On Sunday afternoon, the 17 year old boy is shown on the video (that lasts over 3 minutes) being overtaken and having his wallet and shoes taken from him. He is hit, kicked, and drug along the ground in the video. He is choked. Some take big chunks of ice and use them as weapons.
At last, the boy is still, lying there. Helpless. Hurt. All while the video camera captures everything for the eventual YouTube upload. Eventually, the victim rises and runs away.
Interestingly, the very fact that the evildoers put the video online may prove to be their undoing. As the video went viral, media reports are that over 500 comments were left and calls made to the local law enforcement, some going so far as to name names of those shown beating the boy on the screen. Virtual finger pointing. The web version of an eyewitness testifying?
Today, this event is making the national news. The good thing is that the victim has been treated and released from a local hospital. And it’s being reported that the gang members will be charged as this being a “strong arm robbery.”
This Is A Growing National Problem – Videotaped Assaults Are Trendy.
Similar videos exist for other attacks upon kids in this country. Consider the videotaped beating on a Mississippi school bus. Or the similar group of teens assault upon a 13 year old in Philadelphia. There are more; you just have to surf the web for them.
Assaults Upon Children in this Country Must Stop
Arrests will be made, no doubt, in this Chicago case. However, in this case as well as countless other beatings of children in this country, there is more than can be done to find justice for the victim and to put an end to this kind of violence: personal injury lawsuits.
In assaults on children, private civil lawsuits can work to force better protections for kids who are in danger of being hurt and assaulted like the teen shown in this viral video. How the causes of action are framed would depend upon the situation; however, one clear example would be municipal liability causes of action. Here, violent assaults on public school or city property can be the basis of a liability suit if there were shown to be inadequate security or neglectful property maintenance that was a cause of the harm. City governments, school districts, owners of premises, etc. may be held legally accountable for not doing more to protect kids from this sort of thing.
These child beating law suits are being filed by parents all over the country, and it perhaps through these civil suits that school bullying will be become the subject of widespread assault by those with the power to stop these horrible injuries on children.
