Posted on 09/09/2008 10:48:18 AM PDT by Puppage
As the SEPTA subway train rocked forward, a thirty-something guy leaned over near the doorway and gently planted a kiss on the little boy at his side.
When the train neared the Fairmount Avenue stop shortly after midnight on Thursday, the man reached out like an adoring parent and directed the 3- or 4-year-old tyke to an open seat.
Then he flew into a monstrous rage.
Without uttering a word, police said, the unidentified man whipped out a double-claw hammer and began bludgeoning a 20-year-old man who was dozing off in his seat.
For five long minutes, SEPTA surveillance cameras captured the deranged attacker - who was still on the loose late last night- digging his hammer into the man's head and neck.
Through it all, disgusted investigators said, at least 10 passengers stood by and did nothing as the random attack moved from the train to the platform, when the hammer-wielding maniac tried to push his victim down onto the train tracks.
When the beating was finished and the suspect fled with the little boy, the victim staggered back onto the train, bloodied, confused and alone, said Detective Kenneth Roach, of Central Detectives.
And even then, no one tried to help him.
"Somebody should have helped this guy," Roach said. "I understand the [other] guy had a hammer, but they outnumbered him at least 10 to one."
Miraculously, the victim took the subway up to Temple University Hospital, received several staples and sutures and was discharged, Roach said.
The motive remains a mystery.
"I'm baffled," Roach said. "He had no reason to do that. It was unprovoked. The victim was just going home from work, minding his own business, listening to his iPod."
Roach said that the victim, whose name was not released, boarded the subway at City Hall.
The attacker - a bearded, stocky, 5-foot-9-inch black man who wore a yellow shirt and black pants - also got on at City Hall, with a youngster who may or may not be his child.
The victim and the hammer-toting psychopath never exchanged a word or a glance, Roach said.
"According to the victim, there was no contact or verbal discussion," he said. "They didn't even notice each other."
The hammer was hidden in a black-and-yellow book bag that the attacker clutched throughout the short subway ride.
The little boy dashed off the train with the other passengers during the brutal beat-down, but was later seen running back on to recover the book bag. The boy and the suspect are seen on camera leaving together.
Roach described the attacker as "very dangerous" and asked anyone who knows him to contact police at 215-686-3093 or -3094. *
This sounds alarmingly similar to the Canadian guy who decapitated a fellow passenger on a Greyhound bus.
He’s just getting a head start on his response to an Obama loss.
I’m not surprised that unarmed people would hesitate to take on a raving madman armed with a dangerous weapon.
What are the laws in Philly, in PA? What is the liklihood that someone was carrying?
This is precicely the situation concealed carry is intended to solve.
“For five long minutes...” vs 30 seconds, “Stop or I will shoot you!”
Victim was probably lisntening to/singing Sweet Home Alabama or wearing a McCain/Palin button.
Did this happen in New Philadelphia or the old Philsdelphia?
“received several staples and sutures and was discharged,”
With hammerblows to his head? Well, it does not say how long he was in ER, but usually they watch you for quite a while if your head has been knocked about.
As for the guy and the kid, the Malvo guys come to mind.
Philly should have fear in their hearts about the little boy.
Say what you will about New Yorkers, but the one time I saw a potentially violent incident on a NY subway, it turned out quite different. A guy with clear mental issues started harassing and pushing a couple of 12-year old girls. The only other people on the car were me, my friend and a couple of ghetto looking guys. Before we could even react, the two ghetto guys got up, grabbed the crazy dude, put him in a headlock and threw him out of the car as soon as it pulled into the next station.
That wouldn't have been the case if there'd been any soldiers or Marines on the train. The psychopath would have been incapacitated--if he was lucky.
The attacker is a McCain/Palin supporter, no doubt. [/sarc]
I married one from Brooklyn!
“listening to his iPod.”
Possibly a deranged laid off Microsoft Zune employee?
No one lifted a finger to help me, no one lifted a finger to stop my attacker as he ran off, no one asked me if I was OK after getting clocked twice with a pipe.
And I am going to guess that the SEPTA demographics were the same as my CTA demographics: a black man assaulting a lone white man in a crowd of black people.
Can you figure out why no one helped?
>>Before we could even react, the two ghetto guys got up, grabbed the crazy dude, put him in a headlock and threw him out of the car as soon as it pulled into the next station.<<
Sometimes Angels don’t come in white flowing robes. Lord love the,!
It’s nice to live in a small town. I’m not bitter at all.
I thought the exact same thing, only here in America! I am disgusted, WTF is wrong with people? Have we become Canadianized?
Yikes!
I’m glad you’re okay. Wow!
the,!=them!
Because people only care about themselves and could care less about anyone else. Next time you hold a door open for someone, see if they thank you.
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