Tuesday June 13 06:31 PM EDT
Central Park assault victim: Police did nothing 6-13-2000
Yahoo news.
By Latoya Hunter, Court TV
NEW YORK (Court TV) — A police
officer allegedly "did nothing" though a woman reported she was
attacked by a gang of young men in New York's Central Park Sunday. The victim
claims the officer offered little help in a terrifying situation.
"He did nothing...I got no reaction out of him," Anne Bryant told
reporters. "Not a radio call. Not please tell me exactly where the area
was. Nothing." The woman, who was roller-blading at the time, said she
unsuccessfully approached officers three times.
"They had absolutely no interest in going toward that area," said
Patrick Orlando, who was with Bryant. "No one stood up. No one moved. No
one got on the radio to report the problem."
Bryant's allegations have sparked an internal investigation.
A warm afternoon in Central Park went bad for Bryant and at least six other
women. A gang ripped off the women's clothing and in some cases, robbed them.
Two suspects were arrested in the attacks — some of which were videotaped.
Other suspects are being sought. The police have offered a $10,000 reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.
A teen-age British tourist said about 15 men surrounded her, ripped off her
clothes and fondled her before stealing $200. Two of her friends also were
accosted.
"They were trying to pull my top up, and at the same time guys were
trying to pull my shorts down," the 18-year-old tourist told WPIX-TV on
Monday. "I was touched everywhere, and it was really humiliating. There
must have been 14 guys touching me, just trying to take my clothes off."
David Rowe, 24, of Hempstead, and Tremayne Bane, 23, of Brooklyn, were
charged with robbery and sexual abuse after the English victims pointed them out
to police. Bail was set at $10,000.
All the attacks took place along Central Park South, a busy area near the zoo
and the Plaza Hotel, and happened after a parade brought thousands of people to
the area. Some of the women were robbed of money and jewelry. Police believed
other victims have not come forward.
Police said shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday, about 15 men, some carrying large
water pistols, squirted two Long Island teens, ages 16 and 18, with water and
then grouped and robbed them. At about the same time, a group attacked a woman
on in-line skates, pulling her to the ground and attempting to strip her.
Then about 25 men targeted a honeymooning French couple, restraining the
husband while stripping and pawing the wife. About 30 minutes later, a group
ganged up on the three women from England, police said.
"She was naked, completely naked," native New Yorker Rita Berlin
said of one of the victims. "We were mortified."
Berlin said she saw police aiding the woman.
Amateur videotape aired on news programs showed men soaking women with water,
dragging them to the ground and diving on them.
"Get the money shot!" says one man while others frantically tug at
a crying woman's bra straps.
Police said Tuesday they planned to subpoena the tapes. At least one victim
said tapes were made by the attackers themselves.
Parks officials have battled similar attacks in the past. Several years ago,
the city was shaken by reports of "whirlpooling" — groups of boys
who would surround girls swimming at city pools, molesting them and trying to
remove their bathing suits.
The Central Park assaults came on a particularly violent weekend in New York
City, which sweltered through 90-degree temperatures both Saturday and Sunday.
Six people were killed and 59 others were stabbed or shot in numerous incidents.
But the mayor and police commissioner were quick to point out on Monday that
crime is considerably lower than a decade ago.
"It's unrealistic to assume that police officers can be everywhere at
every time, at all times, particularly when they are dealing with a
parade," Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said.
Said Police Commissioner Howard Safir: "If I put 10,000 cops in Central
Park, we couldn't cover every single area."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
________________________________
Self Defense is your right.
It is your duty.
_______________________________________________
FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN - NEVER
DISARM !
Children subjected to Government Medical experiments -
Auschwitz.
____________________________________________
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