What is wrong with people?
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Senior Member
Joined: 07-17-2006
Posts: 6,053
From: Dallas, GA
What is wrong with people?
Tragic story....
AUSTIN, Texas -- Police urged witnesses to come forward and help them find the mob that beat a man to death after the car he was riding in apparently struck and injured a child.
Investigators were struggling to piece together what happened Tuesday when David Rivas Morales died defending the driver from members of a crowd. There could have been anywhere from two to 20 attackers, Austin Police Commander Harold Piatt said.
The car in which Morales, 40, was a passenger had entered an apartment complex's parking lot when it struck a 2-year-old boy, Piatt said. The boy was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver got out of the car to check on the child and was confronted by several people, Piatt said. When they attacked the driver, Morales got out of the car to protect the driver and was attacked as well. Police said no guns or knives were used.
The driver got away and is cooperating with investigators. Police identified the child as Michael Hosea Jr.
There were conflicting accounts of how many people were in the area. Police originally estimated 2,000 to 3,000 and a woman who lives at the complex said hundreds who had been at a Juneteenth festival filled the parking lot and street.
But late Wednesday police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said only 20 people were in the area where the assault occurred.
Chovanetz also said there was no connection to the nearby city-sponsored festival for Juneteenth, which commemorates Texas slaves getting the word that they had been freed.
Margaret Morales said a young boy came to her door to tell her that her brother was lying on the ground outside. She found David Morales, sprawled on the pavement 100 feet from her townhouse, battered and choking on blood.
She said her mother came running after hearing her screams, but police wouldn't let either of them get close to him.
Police arrived one minute after receiving a 911 call, by which time the beating had stopped, Chovanetz said. But the Morales family complained that medical help was slow in coming.
Chovanetz said witnesses told police that three or four men attacked Morales, knocking him to the ground. A man got out of another vehicle and hit Morales again, Chovanetz said.
David Morales arrived at the hospital about 35 minutes after the 911 call was received, said Warren Hassinger, Austin-Travis County Emergency Services spokesman. Emergency officials said police ordered them to wait until the area was secure.
Several hundred people had filled the parking lot and street as the daylong festival at a nearby park ended and spilled over into the surrounding neighborhoods, said Katherine White, a Morales family friend who lives in a townhouse next door to where the beating took place.
Margaret Morales said her brother, who was staying with her, was a painter on his way home from work. The driver, whom she knew only as Victor, picked him up and dropped him off everyday, she said.
The Morales family remembered David as a caring brother who loved the San Antonio Spurs and was thrilled when they won the NBA title last week. Earl White, Katherine's brother, said David Morales enjoyed sitting on the porch, watching the neighborhood children play in the parking lot.
"I just want the people caught and brought to justice," another sister, Elizabeth Morales, said. "I want them to feel the same pain that they caused my brother."
Investigators were struggling to piece together what happened Tuesday when David Rivas Morales died defending the driver from members of a crowd. There could have been anywhere from two to 20 attackers, Austin Police Commander Harold Piatt said.
The car in which Morales, 40, was a passenger had entered an apartment complex's parking lot when it struck a 2-year-old boy, Piatt said. The boy was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver got out of the car to check on the child and was confronted by several people, Piatt said. When they attacked the driver, Morales got out of the car to protect the driver and was attacked as well. Police said no guns or knives were used.
The driver got away and is cooperating with investigators. Police identified the child as Michael Hosea Jr.
There were conflicting accounts of how many people were in the area. Police originally estimated 2,000 to 3,000 and a woman who lives at the complex said hundreds who had been at a Juneteenth festival filled the parking lot and street.
But late Wednesday police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said only 20 people were in the area where the assault occurred.
Chovanetz also said there was no connection to the nearby city-sponsored festival for Juneteenth, which commemorates Texas slaves getting the word that they had been freed.
Margaret Morales said a young boy came to her door to tell her that her brother was lying on the ground outside. She found David Morales, sprawled on the pavement 100 feet from her townhouse, battered and choking on blood.
She said her mother came running after hearing her screams, but police wouldn't let either of them get close to him.
Police arrived one minute after receiving a 911 call, by which time the beating had stopped, Chovanetz said. But the Morales family complained that medical help was slow in coming.
Chovanetz said witnesses told police that three or four men attacked Morales, knocking him to the ground. A man got out of another vehicle and hit Morales again, Chovanetz said.
David Morales arrived at the hospital about 35 minutes after the 911 call was received, said Warren Hassinger, Austin-Travis County Emergency Services spokesman. Emergency officials said police ordered them to wait until the area was secure.
Several hundred people had filled the parking lot and street as the daylong festival at a nearby park ended and spilled over into the surrounding neighborhoods, said Katherine White, a Morales family friend who lives in a townhouse next door to where the beating took place.
Margaret Morales said her brother, who was staying with her, was a painter on his way home from work. The driver, whom she knew only as Victor, picked him up and dropped him off everyday, she said.
The Morales family remembered David as a caring brother who loved the San Antonio Spurs and was thrilled when they won the NBA title last week. Earl White, Katherine's brother, said David Morales enjoyed sitting on the porch, watching the neighborhood children play in the parking lot.
"I just want the people caught and brought to justice," another sister, Elizabeth Morales, said. "I want them to feel the same pain that they caused my brother."
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 07-17-2006
Posts: 6,053
From: Dallas, GA
More....
FOX NEWS:
Texas Crowd Kills Passenger in Vehicle That Hit Child
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
By Sara Bonisteel
Police were searching Wednesday for more than a dozen people who may have been involved in the beating death of a man who was a passenger in a car that struck and injured a child not far from a Juneteenth celebration in Austin, Texas.
David Rivas Morales died Tuesday from injuries sustained in an assault by an unknown number of black men following the car accident, which occurred in the parking lot of an East Austin apartment complex, police said.
"It doesn't seem to be a hate crime, it really seems to be a spontaneous act resulting from that collision with that child," Harold Piatt, the commander of the Austin Police Department's Robbery Homicide Unit. "We don't know if there were any words exchanged between the driver and the men to start with that escalated this to the assault."
The incident occurred at around 9:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Booker T. Washington apartments, near Rosewood Park, where the city's Juneteenth celebrations were wrapping up, Piatt said.
Click here for FOXNews.com's Crime center.
The driver of the car carrying Morales struck a 3- or 4-year-old girl, apparently prompting the attack.
"The driver, for whatever reason, whether he realized he was involved in the collision or his vehicle forced a stop, got out of the car, got into a confrontation with several men and was assaulted," Piatt said.
Morales came to his aid and was fatally attacked in what police are calling a "spontaneous homicide." He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The driver was able to get back into his car and drive away. Both he and his vehicle have been located, Piatt said, but he declined to release the driver's identity because the man is a witness in an ongoing investigation.
"We could have had anywhere from two to 15 and 20 [people] who are actually involved in the assault," Piatt said. Some 2,000 to 3,000 people were gathered in the parking lot at the time.
The child was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Brackenridge Hospital.
Piatt said there is no reason to link the assault with the Juneteenth celebrations.
"There were no city-sponsored events occurring on the parking lot of Booker T. Washington, although there were some events in the immediate area — Rosewood Park," he said. "Some of the crowd may have gone onto Booker T. or people just out in their apartments — celebrating, having a good time, whatever — but there's nothing to tie one to the other and nothing to indicate that this was a hate crime."
The Austin Police Department is asking those with information to call its homicide tip line at 512-477-3588.
Juneteenth celebrates the day Gen. Gordon Granger shared the news of the Emancipation Proclamation with the slaves of Galveston, Texas, two years after Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in the United States
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_frien...284993,00.html
__________________
Texas Crowd Kills Passenger in Vehicle That Hit Child
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
By Sara Bonisteel
Police were searching Wednesday for more than a dozen people who may have been involved in the beating death of a man who was a passenger in a car that struck and injured a child not far from a Juneteenth celebration in Austin, Texas.
David Rivas Morales died Tuesday from injuries sustained in an assault by an unknown number of black men following the car accident, which occurred in the parking lot of an East Austin apartment complex, police said.
"It doesn't seem to be a hate crime, it really seems to be a spontaneous act resulting from that collision with that child," Harold Piatt, the commander of the Austin Police Department's Robbery Homicide Unit. "We don't know if there were any words exchanged between the driver and the men to start with that escalated this to the assault."
The incident occurred at around 9:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Booker T. Washington apartments, near Rosewood Park, where the city's Juneteenth celebrations were wrapping up, Piatt said.
Click here for FOXNews.com's Crime center.
The driver of the car carrying Morales struck a 3- or 4-year-old girl, apparently prompting the attack.
"The driver, for whatever reason, whether he realized he was involved in the collision or his vehicle forced a stop, got out of the car, got into a confrontation with several men and was assaulted," Piatt said.
Morales came to his aid and was fatally attacked in what police are calling a "spontaneous homicide." He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The driver was able to get back into his car and drive away. Both he and his vehicle have been located, Piatt said, but he declined to release the driver's identity because the man is a witness in an ongoing investigation.
"We could have had anywhere from two to 15 and 20 [people] who are actually involved in the assault," Piatt said. Some 2,000 to 3,000 people were gathered in the parking lot at the time.
The child was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Brackenridge Hospital.
Piatt said there is no reason to link the assault with the Juneteenth celebrations.
"There were no city-sponsored events occurring on the parking lot of Booker T. Washington, although there were some events in the immediate area — Rosewood Park," he said. "Some of the crowd may have gone onto Booker T. or people just out in their apartments — celebrating, having a good time, whatever — but there's nothing to tie one to the other and nothing to indicate that this was a hate crime."
The Austin Police Department is asking those with information to call its homicide tip line at 512-477-3588.
Juneteenth celebrates the day Gen. Gordon Granger shared the news of the Emancipation Proclamation with the slaves of Galveston, Texas, two years after Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in the United States
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_frien...284993,00.html
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Joined: 04-19-2006
Posts: 5,065
From: Arvada CO
That's just wrong...what the hell is wrong with people these days? The kid did not have life threatening injuries...so what's the deal. Kinda makes one wonder if there isn't more to this story than they are saying...but it's hard to tell.
My thoughts and prayers go out to this young man's family. What a senseless tragedy for them to have to endure.
My thoughts and prayers go out to this young man's family. What a senseless tragedy for them to have to endure.
Senior Member
Joined: 08-10-2006
Posts: 485
From: Winter Haven, Fl
What was a 3 or 4 year old doing outside that LATE at night??? Does NO ONE take responsibility for their kids any more?
I am sure there is more to the story. I am with Debbie on this one. Prayers to the families involved.
I am sure there is more to the story. I am with Debbie on this one. Prayers to the families involved.
Senior Member
Joined: 06-15-2007
Posts: 256
From: whippany,nj
Tragedy,but that happens when you get mobs of people & probably too much drinking,a few people get out of hand & other people follow,and unfortunatly nobody stands up and takes controll of the situation..The innocent people end up victims
Banned
Joined: 10-14-2005
Posts: 9,121
From: Rochester,N.Y.
I would have probably been one of the people beating the guy so I can say anything. They didn't make any mention of how the guy was driving like if he was paying attention and looking for children or if he was driving carelessly and not paying attention. For all we know when the guy got out of his car he said the wrong thing. There are way too many unknown variables to make judgment on the people involved. For all we know the child hit could have been a family member of one or more of the people that were involved. If you saw someone hit lets say your little niece wouldn't you come out swinging? Don't be so judgmental without knowing all the facts. I'm sure there is more to it than our immoral society, lack of god, crazy youth, or whatever you guys are going to blame it on. Maybe the guys that got beat deserved it.
Senior Member
Joined: 01-20-2006
Posts: 1,707
From: Centralia, Missouri
I would have probably been one of the people beating the guy so I can say anything. They didn't make any mention of how the guy was driving like if he was paying attention and looking for children or if he was driving carelessly and not paying attention. For all we know when the guy got out of his car he said the wrong thing. There are way too many unknown variables to make judgment on the people involved. For all we know the child hit could have been a family member of one or more of the people that were involved. If you saw someone hit lets say your little niece wouldn't you come out swinging? Don't be so judgmental without knowing all the facts. I'm sure there is more to it than our immoral society, lack of god, crazy youth, or whatever you guys are going to blame it on. Maybe the guys that got beat deserved it.
Senior Member
Joined: 04-30-2006
Posts: 9,149
From: Maryland Heights, MO
I would have probably been one of the people beating the guy so I can say anything. They didn't make any mention of how the guy was driving like if he was paying attention and looking for children or if he was driving carelessly and not paying attention. For all we know when the guy got out of his car he said the wrong thing. There are way too many unknown variables to make judgment on the people involved. For all we know the child hit could have been a family member of one or more of the people that were involved. If you saw someone hit lets say your little niece wouldn't you come out swinging? Don't be so judgmental without knowing all the facts. I'm sure there is more to it than our immoral society, lack of god, crazy youth, or whatever you guys are going to blame it on. Maybe the guys that got beat deserved it.
I can't see ANY reason to beat someone to death. BTW, did you notice the person who died was trying to STOP the beating of the driver.
The reports I read stated the the child came out of an alley. I've driven/lived in parts of St. Louis that has many blind alleys, one after another. To be as careful as you stated, they'd have to set the speed limit to 10MPH.
I would NOT come out swinging, I'd be a little more concern that my child was getting help, not beating down the person who hit them. You can throw out all that blame BS you want (immoral society, lack of god, crazy youth) none of that crap matters, it is wrong to beat someone to death. Period.
Banned
Joined: 10-14-2005
Posts: 9,121
From: Rochester,N.Y.
So I've had to beat the crap out of a few friends of people. Maybe when he got out he didn't valiantly try to save his friend but might have exacerbated the situation. Once again we don't know if the guy’s friend helped or hindered him. There is way too much unknown at this point to pass judgment. Maybe the victims aren’t as innocent as the media would like to make them. The only way you would be able to know the truth is if we were there and I’m pretty sure none of us were.
