Indianapolis Playground Beating: Police Arrest Suspect Accused Of Attacking Girl And Her Young Brother
A brutal video of a girl and her young brother being attacked on an Indianapolis playground has led police to arrest a suspect they say is responsible for the attack.
Video of the unprovoked attack appeared online this weekend, quickly going viral and sparking outrage across the nation. It also led to a number of tips sent to Indianapolis police, who on Sunday announced that a suspect was under arrest on unrelated charges.
IMPDNOW: Suspect identified in the on-line video has been arrested on an un-related incident. Video case still under investigation.
— IMPD (@IMPD_News) March 16, 2015
Police have not yet released the name or age of the Indianapolis playground beating suspect. Many commenters had posted personal information of an alleged suspect, including Instagram and Facebook accounts, but the information has not been verified by police.
Video of the attack spread quickly on Sunday, uploaded to Liveleak and Reddit, attracting hundreds of thousands of views.
The disturbing video shows a group of people running through a park toward a playground, then surrounding a young girl who was there with a much younger brother. As the victim appears to be explaining something, a girl from the group attacked in a flurry of punches.
The victim fell to the ground, asking, “What did I do? What did I do?” while her attacker continues to throw punches.
The attack stopped momentarily when a young man from the group pulled the attacker off the victim, but the group again follows the girl as she tries to walk her brother — who appeared to be 5 or 6 — out of the park. Before they can get away the originally attacker strikes again, this time sending the victim to the ground.
When the young boy stepped in and tried to fight off his sister’s attacker, the assailant knocked him to the ground, sending him tumbling onto the pavement. The attack then stops, but the group continued to mock the victim as she walked away, shouting an apology.
Many online believed that the attack was racially motivated. When the victim asked why she was being attacked, a boy in the group appeared to answer, “You white, b***h.”
Even before they announced the arrest, police told the local media that they had the video and were looking into the incident.
“The graphic video surfaced online on Saturday and someone in the video said the fight takes place at a near east side park.” IMPD tells us their forensic computer detectives are looking for reports on the video and they do have a copy.”
Police have not yet said what charges the suspect in the Indianapolis playground beating might face.
[Image via Historic Indianapolis]
