Police Seek Violent Group Of Teenagers In Connection To Recent Random Attacks
By Natasha Brown
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- "I couldn't even look at my child. I couldn't even tell that's my child," said Shantel Sexton.
Heart pounding, heart wrenching moments for Sexton as she saw her 17-year-old son lying in a hospital bed barely recognizable. On Tuesday afternoon, Jhafi Sexton became the victim of a random attack while waiting on a trolley at 65th and Elmwood. Police say as many as five teens stomped, kicked and beat him unconscious for no reason.
"They started punching him and kicking him repeatedly, knocking out three of his teeth before leaving him there on the ground," said Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker.
Just three blocks away, a day earlier, there was another random attack on another teenager waiting on a trolley. A few days earlier, a 52-year-old man was hospitalized after a random and unprovoked attack while he was walking down the street.
Police believe all of these cases are linked to a rogue and violent group of teenagers.
"We need these young men off the streets as soon as possible. They're causing a lot of damage in that community," Walker said.
Jhafi has a learning disability and had just ventured out to learn how to take public transportation on his own. He's still wearing the scars from the vicious beating and is still trying to regain a sense of safety.
"They beat my son half to death and they didn't have no reason to do this to my child and I want to know why," Sexton said.
Police say they believe the suspects are between the ages of 15 and 17-years-old and they think they're known to the community where these attacks are happening.
