At least three people sustained injuries this weekend in South Bellevue, Memphis, after falling victims to a group of violent teenagers.
According to WREG, an amateur footage of the incident shows a high school kid, who is allegedly an employee of Kroger Supermarket, being beaten on the floor by a group of other kids. Reports indicate that three other people - including a female adult and an elderly man - were also attacked on Friday.
It is unclear what precipitated the beat down or how many assailants were involved in it. Eyewitnesses have speculated that the mob seemed to have selected their targets randomly. A friend of the victims told WREG that the group, which he said included both Afro-Americans and Caucasian males and females of different ages, numbered between 100 to 125. The unidentified witness also revealed that the attackers were playing a game known as 'point em out, knock em out' - where the players identify and confront their victims and attempt to knock the person unconscious with just one punch.
The local police are yet to release details about the incident, therefore it is impossible to determine the veracity of these claims. Officials have directed individuals with information about the attack to contact CrimeStopper of Memphis and Shelby County by dialing 528-CASH.
The recent surge in violence has raised many questions about the security of Memphis. Earlier in the month, in a similar incident, at least three people - including two Kroger Supermarket employees - were attacked by a teenage mob.
The similarities between these two violent incidents are glaring. Some pundits have linked the mob outburst to Afro-American innercity gang related violence. But others, like one of the victims, Sharon Mourning, explained that "It's a problem and it's not a racial problem, it's just kids acting out," she said.
The 46-years old mother, who was attacked while travelling with her baby in her vehicle, noted that the assailants, whom she says were only about 15, "thought it was amusing" as they hopped unto her car repeatedly. Reports indicate that Mourning's car sustained some damages from the incident.
Meanwhile, the director of Police Toney Armstrong has noted that "Parental supervision is crucial to reducing delinquent behavior; we have got to get our parents more involved with what is going on in the lives of their children."
The Mayor of Memphis A.C Wharton has also revealed that the violence in the city is being caused by "a small, but destructive minority." He noted that the cops are working to prevent a recurrence of the same incident anywhere in the city. The mayor also disclosed that the city is doing its part to provide alternatives for teenagers.
