Attack On Philadelphia Park Ranger In Love Park Caught On Tape
By Jim Melwert, Cleve Bryan, Robin Culverwell, Matt Rivers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia Park Ranger is recovering after he was beaten and kicked while working in Love Park Friday evening.
Philadelphia Police say the 35-year-old ranger radio-ed his supervisor after seeing several young men skateboarding in the park. When the ranger approached the skaters and told them they weren't allowed to skate there, one young man refused to leave and began swearing at the ranger and threatening him.
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The video shows that person then wrestling the park ranger to the ground. The assailant continues his attack by stomping on the ranger and repeatedly kicking him in the head, and then spitting on him.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says this guy stomping on the head of a defenseless man is another example of the street thugs cops have to deal with on a regular basis:
"They don't care and, you know, if a cop takes hit guy into custody and scratches him once, then it's police brutality. Look at what we're up against. These are the very people that we have to go up against on a daily basis. They just simply do not care."
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"(The ranger) was just talking to them nicely," Mariano Verrico, who recorded the attack, told Eyewitness News. "The one kid who did the attack was saying something like 'I've been waiting for this moment' or something, so I don't know if something happened prior, but I don't think there was going to be any reasoning with them that day. He just wanted to do what he wanted to do and that was it."
Two other skateboarders who were with the attacker are seen in the video taunting the ranger -- and one of them videotapes the beating.
"The other kid on the left side (of the video) holding the skateboard just constantly was berating and just saying nasty things to the ranger as he is on the ground just defending himself," Verrico said. "He went as far as, you know, using slurs against the park ranger."
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After the attack, the trio of thugs took off.
Videotape of the attack clearly shows the faces of two of those involved. Ramsey says they know who they're looking for and that they're working on obtaining a warrant and figuring out what charges this man should face.
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