Park Ranger Beaten By Skateboarder While Crowd Laughs
A Philadelphia park ranger was beaten by a skateboarder while a seemingly approving crowd laughed. The Love Park ranger attack was caught on video. The man is shown on the ground being kicked and spit upon as people gathered around and merely chuckled and cheered, declining to stop the beating and help the injured park ranger.
The skateboarder-park ranger attack reportedly began after the city employee told the group of young people to relocate. The Love Park ranger told the teens that they had to stop skateboarding along the sidewalk because there were too many children in the area and someone was going to get hurt.
The viral video of the Philadelphia park ranger beating was captured on a cellphone – the footage was ultimately turned over to the police.
Mariano Verrico, of Essex Fells, New Jersey, had this to say when speaking to WCAU-TV in Philadelphia:
“The one kid who did everything leaned down and spit on him. It was disgraceful. Basically he was just doing his job. His voce wasn’t raised. He wasn’t cursing. He never once tried to fight with the kid.”
Verrico said he was hesitant to move in to stop the park ranger attack because he was so outsized and outnumbered. In the viral video, the skateboarder is shown punching and then tackling the Philadelphia park ranger. Once the man is on the ground, the teenager continues to kick the ranger in the head as a crowd begins to gather.
The Philadelphia skateboarder appears to be holding a large video camera when he leans in to continue the beating of the park ranger. Those in the crowd urge the attacker on, one individual is heard calling the Love Park ranger a “b**c a*s n****r” and a “p***y.” The New Jersey man who recorded the park range attack went with the victim and his supervisor to the local police department to turn over his recording and to make a statement about the attack.
WARNING: The assault begins at the 1:01 mark and concludes at the 2-minute mark. Before and after the assault footage is added material from the video poster. Disturbing images and rough language.
http://youtu.be/bniOC-iAWd8
The Philadelphia park where the ranger was beaten by the skateboarder was named Love Park because it is the home of Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture. The granite steps, benches, and ledges became popular with skateboarders after the area was featured in a Tony Hawk video game and was credited with coaxing the X Games to come to Philly in both 2001 and 2002.
