Received this ominous story last week:
I live in Clinton Hill on Lexington Ave. near where the avenue ends at Grand. I am very fond of my neighborhood and have felt relatively safe walking around in it for the year and a half I’ve lived here. Unfortunately, I was attacked last Thursday early evening by a group of teenagers and no longer feel as safe. It was 6:15pm and I was crossing Lexington Ave just 50 feet from my own front door as a group of teenagers rushed up from behind, grabbed me, and began beating me. I am lucky. There was a man parked in an SUV very near who got out of his truck and began yelling at the kids. As he did this I was able to get to my feet and the teens all ran back down Lexington turning left and running further down Grand. The man who came to my aid made sure I was ok before leaving the scene. I escaped with no broken bones or stitches but there is significant bruising, swelling, and soreness, medical bills to be payed, and of course the sense of uneasiness that comes with being assaulted (in front of your own apartment!). I filed a police report at Precinct 88 the next day and the detectives (who were very helpful-btw) tell me that this is not an isolated incident and that there have been a few reports of late in and around Clinton Hill with similar circumstances carried out by a group of teenagers. I am a semi-regular reader of your blog and find it informative. I thought this might be something you and or your readers might like to be aware of as well.
It is extremely unsettling to hear about this — a guy who gets jumped very early in the evening for no apparent reason just steps from his apartment. I’d never think to be wary of my surroundings at 6:30pm. I try to stay away from crazed rants (aside from Adelphi Station), but dude! Who raises kids who think beating up a random man is OK?! Have they no concept of consequences?
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64 Comments
There’s been a number of incidents like this happening in Prospect Heights around Underhill over the past months. Same story, groups of teens attacking in the early evening. Much discussion and details on the Brooklynian message board for Prospect Heights (someone even made a mugging map!)
This is also very unsettling to me! I live very close to where the unfortunate incident occurred. I moved in about 6 months ago, and heard stories about this type of random and vicious crime happening a couple of years ago, but I thought the neighborhood had changed! I agree, you wonder how these kids came into this, and why they think it is okay? The fact that it is so nonsensical makes me furious. You wish you could do something about it, but what?
i live on that block.
while the rest of the neighborhood is cute, lexington is a strange place (especially b/w classon and grand). most of the block is boarded up (condos in the making?), and it is very unsettling to walk down. it seems that the few of us who take residence on the avenue should make an effort to keep an eye out.
should i see you getting jumped, i’m coming full force, pit bull in hand, to your rescue.
This happened to a friend of mine right off the Clinton-Washington G stop last year at around 7 pm one night – she was jumped from behind by 3 teenagers and choked almost to the point of passing out, before they finally ran off with her phone and iPod.
At the station, the cops said it was pretty common for teenagers in our hood to do this. Be careful out there!
Remember people! If you see a group of black teenagers in Clinton Hill, get really tense! (in the long run, this will only improve things)
on my block waverly between myrtle and park there are two adjoining brownstones being renovated. it seems that the company may have run out of money and ceased work. so now it’s just two empty buildings covered with scafolding providing protection for drug use, drinking teens, ect. When I walk by there in the evening (my apt’s steps away) I get really nervous. I did call 311 about it one time, of course nothing happened. I guess that’s city living, and abandoned construction sites suck! (seems to be a lot of them around here)
Was the victim a man or a woman?
Lexington b/w Classon @ Grand is hardly “boarded up.”
But that garage building at the end on Lexington needs to be taken down.
I, having been mugged a year ago on Carlton and Willoughby, feel for the person who submitted this post on many levels. However, it is futile,ignorant, and besides the point to question who raises people to do this and think there are no consequences. How about we question what can and should be done about it?.
That really sucks. Glad to hear that the OP is OK.
To me it is not so surprising that this incident occurred when it did. Clinton Hill is a different neighborhood in the late afternoon to early evening hours. There alot of schools and so many of these kids hang out idly afterwards. Of course not all teenagers are trouble-makers but with the increasing incidents of violence it’s time to figure out how to put a stop to this trend before it gets worse. Personally I’d like to see a stronger police presence in the after-school hours to discourage this loitering. Let’s make sure to attend community meetings at the local precincts and bring this matter up.
“Lexington b/w Classon @ Grand is hardly “boarded up.””
you’ve got to be joking. there are two apartment buildings boarded up (out of 5 buildings total), a garage getting torn down that has been engulfed in a large wall of plywood, and strange large barrels in the middle of the block that make for a perfect rape corner.
as a woman living on the block saying that it feels unsafe is an understatement. there’s just not a lot of people living on that block (in comparison to others in the area) so it’s an easy target. as neighbors, we should really be watching out.
i’m also weary of stereotypes, however. you’re as likely to get robbed by a clean white 30′s man, if i am concerned. there’s plenty of teenagers in the area, as there are plenty of schools. don’t make yourself paranoid.
a simple flyer campaign on the block may help. lets urge neighbors to pay attention and discourage those who want to do harm by informing them their crime will not go unnoticed and unpunished.
jess, a stronger police presence means more kids being sent away/devalued/majorly hassled for having a dime-bag in their pocket or other victimless crimes. the consequences of over policed neighborhoods are not only positive – there are many, many negative consequences to increased police presence that should constantly be considered as well.
I am so sorry this happened to ANYONE!
Do you think we could have more info regarding the approximate ages, races and number of teens involved? I think it would help.
P.S. I don’t think it is ignorant at all to wonder about the upbringing of these kids-that is, after all, the problem.
flavah…so basically, victimless crimes are harmless? And, who said the kids were black?
Flavahmakah, what do you mean by “victimless crimes”?
While I don’t agree that a kid should be sent away for having a dime bag in their pocket I do believe they should be for a violent offense. In the original post the idea of “consequences” came up. The people who commit violent acts SHOULD be afraid of consequences because that is the only deterrent. But you are right, there are pros and cons and it begs for consideration.
And Lexington Resident, it’s not “paranoid” to be aware of the facts. If crimes like these are being committed by groups of teenagers then attention needs to be given to groups of teenagers.
it’s just a bit ignorant to see a group of teens walking down a block and assume they may be out to rob you, don’t you think? there’s millions of teens. not many of them out to hurt you. don’t treat them as if they were, because you’d only be creating a bigger problem. that of mistrust and judgment. instead, we should act as a community. encourage the teens to hang out, keep an eye out themselves. being young should not make one an automatic criminal in clinton hill.
following your logic, i should fear everyone simply because their age/race/sex may be similar to that of a perp. give me a break.
no where in the post does it say black teenagers
getting beaten black & blue or choked until you are almost unconcious are not victimless crimes
There are a lot of schools and a bunch of teenagers without any constructive activities spells a potential problem regardless of the teenagers race.
Flavah, dont you remeber how stupid we all were at 15 or 16 or even 17 and the “infamous” peer pressure made us even dumber
I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood and some of those “white” teenagers were deliquents- just like the kids who attacked the guy in the posting.
This is a teenager issue and a parenting issue.
Lexington Resident, you are not reading. Nowhere did I say “all” teenagers. Go back to my original post if you must. But in the meantime, I’m sure you won’t do a double take when you see a group of teenagers loitering on your block, correct?
Let’s get out to the 88 Pct council meeting and voice ourselves there.
The increased presence of NYPD may be a deterrent in many incidents, and I do not believe the officers of the 88th
are known to be unfair to our youth.
Our political representatives can do a lot as well on their own and with our support.
In that area our disrict desperately needs a rec center for our youth.
Whenever I see a group of teenagers walking together in the neighborhood, I shit on the sidewalk.
ok, the kids doing the beating are not committing the victimless crime. i’m talking about the increased number of kids who will get busted for dimebags and such should more cops start policing the corners and searching people who have done nothing to warrant a search.
as for consequences for the crimes which certainly produce victims: i’m not saying that we shouldn’t do anything to address this issue, but it’s much more complex than arresting kids, trying them, and sending them to adolescent detention centers for two years. in these facilities, they do not receive adequate therapy, they are consistently devalued by under-educated guards, and they are immersed in the kind of violent atmosphere that leaves them in much worse shape two years later than when they went in.
it’s complex and if you aren’t ready to approach the topic from from a more systemic place, then we’re going to keep locking up poor people and creating long-term problems in the process.
by the way, the kids who beat on that person were black, whether it was stated or not. while there exist the type of poorer, devalued white kids (latinos too) who have enough unaddressed anger in them to commit unprovoked, serious acts of violence in southern brooklyn, that demographic (while much, much smaller in number) will not be found in Clinton Hill.
welcome to the neighborhood. the cops at 88 Pct are worthless and allow drug dealing all over the place in that area on their watch. i lived on lexington between classon and grand 12 years ago and had several incidents. the cops also seem to have no intention of changing their ways. the best thing to do is to carry a baseball bat with you and start swinging at the first sign of danger, or else move. once you get attacked in your neighborhood it is pretty hard to shake it off.
Sorry to hear this. But I am not suprised. This is Brooklyn, NYC ! Always beware & use common sense. Acts like these do make the victims paranoid.
Don’t forget we do live with more than several Federal Projects around. Three of them are just west of Fort Green and account for around 8,000 people in the hood. And fact is there often are shootings and drugs around there. I know since family lived there. But bad people come from row houses as well. At least carry pepper spray. Also there could be/should be some sorta youth center.
Learn self-defense or carry a baseball bat and just start swinging and hopefully you will bash a couple of skulls in. Either you get hurt or the scumbags get hurt. Doesn’t matter how old they are. Evil is
evil. You can’t depend on the police for shit. I never ever did this kind of stupid shit when I was a
teenager. Enough said.
Truly sorry to hear about this happening. I wouldn’t mind seeing a few more police on the beat in this neighborhood.
Do you mean housing projects? (which are City owned not “federal”). The closest projects to this location are actually on Lafayette, not way over north (not west) of Fort Greene. But often the streets right in front of projects 9or any busy place) are not the problems – seems to me what we have here is a combination of empty streets and empty-headed youth.
I just saw a group of kids today acting like they rule the world – harassing people as they walked by and nearly caused an accident by crossing the street when a car was coming – and they surrounded the car and yelled at the driver. Sorry, but the parents are to blame. I had “fun” when i was young, but never caused harm to another person. Parents need to be accountable for their kids and cops should be patrolling the streets.
flavahmakah’s comment (#20) is a very important point; so is the point that this type of assault is happening frequently and that it needs to stop. I know of someone else who was attacked in a similar way by Myrtle and Willoughby two weeks ago. Anger and dissociation to this degree in youths is certainly cause for alarm. As an individual, I’m not equipped to address such extensive needs. How can we channel the anger towards productive, non-harmful expression? I’m not making any excuses whatsoever. I’ve lived in the neighborhood for 6 years, and it seems like this type of thing is happening now more than then. Are the families of these teens experiencing negative effects of rising rents & bad economy? Is the presence of more outsiders in the neighborhood triggering angry outbursts?
Regardless, it’s hurting all of us, including the teens doing it. Is it possible to have a neighborhood meeting to discuss?
While we discuss simple anecdotes, assumptions and some misguided revelations the most significant aspect to this story is overlooked- A brave neighbor got involved. Out of all these issues we’ve attempted to address and rationalize the one thing we can all do immediately is be that neighbor.
It is far too simplistic to discuss parenting without discussing who parented these parents, the society they live in and so on,it is also too simplistic to blame gentrification or race alone, you can theorize all you want but the issue is far more complex and simplifying it so is irresponsible.
Until utopia arrives keep your eyes wide open, use common sense, talk to your neighbors about incidents like this,if you are new to the city attend a self defense class, and remember this is BROOKLYN( I was born and raised here).
RIGHT ON polygraf!
…finally.
This is why I’m glad that I look like a cop – as I am told quite frequently by strangers.
P.S. Screw the 88th Precinct. I’ve almost been mowed down twice now by speeding cop cars…ON THE GODDAMN SIDEWALK (on Classon between Dekalb & Lafayette). Hey jerks – it’s a sidewalk, for pedestrians – I’m not in the way, you are causing a safety hazard.
Yeah, this is Brooklyn not Detroit or South LA. I’ve seen harder neighborhoods and i’m sick of the well it’s Brooklyn what do you expect attitude. The parents, the schools and the community really need to step it up. The police should be there to keep an eye out. It’s sad that kid’s these days have such bad attitudes which will affect where they end up in life. Bottom line, if you see something say something and help out.
You can’t depend on the cops. Always walk tall and know what’s behind you. Body language goes a long way. Don’t listen to your fucking ipod while walking at night because that’s just asking to be fucked with. I see to many people doing this while walking the streets at night. Use some common sense. Also, if your not liking what your seeing while walking cross the street.
You can discuss all you want about why this is happening but the fact remains it is. We live in a sick and vicious world and you MUST defend yourself.
pulnam-denizen, the housing projects according to the NYC Gov. Housing Authority web page lists , Ingersoll on Myrtle, Whitman on Myrtle Farragut on Nassau and Lafayette on Classon as all “Program Type : Federal” as oposed to state or city which some are listed. They may be city owned but are Federally subsidised . I was commenting on crime in the hood and not specifically this one location. I agree, empty headed youth. But I have seen Crime on not so empty streets. I was robbed at both gun point and knife point at the same time by 3 guys in the Clinton Washington G station right in front of the clerk. The Kids just yelled to him, “Don’t do anything or we will blow his head off.” Made me feel real good. The cops finally told me I was lucky I didn’t get beat up as most do. Never found them.Thanks for listening.
people need to understand that you can’t always depend on the cops,they hands are full.If these teens feel that they can commit these crims in public view, what does that say about us. we need to be a strong community. help each other and say something when you see it. take a stand.
Ah, Flavamakah, the ClintonHillblog troll. Injecting race into every thread whether it’s been mentioned or not or whether it’s relevant to the thread or not.
I guess the only way that Flavamakah knows this information “by the way, the kids who beat on that person were black, whether it was stated or not” is because he was one of the wannabe thugs. (Or he dreams that he was.)
those housing projects are 60% empty. In the same way the stuy town / peter cooper village once was.
p.s. that’s retarded that someone suggested the pj’s was “federal”???
I see no mention of this crime on the police blotter but did see one similar.
Four thugs punched a Grand Avenue pedestrian on Jan. 22 and knocked him to the ground, before stealing his iPod and wallet.
The 30-year-old victim had been walking along Grand Avenue, between Gates and Putnam avenues, when one of the thugs demanded, “Give me your money!”
Are these two the same crime because some details are different, such as location and date.
hey limestone, i was more injecting class, i do believe. p.s., what’s wrong with being a troll?
pps, why do you assume i’m a guy?
ppps, the big secret is, i’m not really a troll! ,,, these things matter – a lot.
Lack of class is more like it.
Hay JD, you said, “those housing projects are 60% empty.” Beleve whatever you may. Where do you get your info from ?
You also said, “that’s retarded that someone suggested the pj’s was “federal”??? ” Are you a selective reader ? I said they may be city owned but are Federally subsidised, which they are. The NYC Housing web page lists them as such. Once again , where so you get your information from ???
ps. I don’t beleve my suggestion is “retarded” especally since I wasn’t suggesting. I was stating.
Actually Limestone Kid, it seems that you’re triggered by issues of race and class. i’m with Flavah on this one – this sort of incident obviously involves race and class (going out on a limb i would be surprised if the victim was black). I’m white, relatively wealthy, I live in Clinton Hill, and I find that this is a neighborhood continually struggling with issues of race and class. Why wear blinders?
Please enlighten me wise one. Tell me how these sorts of comments help with anything?
“Remember people! If you see a group of black teenagers in Clinton Hill, get really tense! (in the long run, this will only improve things.”
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2007/08/ingersoll_house.php
aw, i got beat up by some kids in a very similar situation around the corner in 2003. it’s been so long now i’m downright nostalgic. i hate to be one of those whaddyagonnado folks, but really: the poster is shaken now but will get over it. the neighborhood has hit some tipping points but it hasn’t quite passed the nexus for random beatings yet. be patient.
Thank you JD ! Thats doing your homework well. But it still didn’t answer why NYC Housing lists them as, ” Program Type : Federal.”
http://home.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/developments/dev_guide.shtml
Talking about crime in the hood…check out this…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackszwergold/2241621569/in/pool-clintonhillbrooklynny
limestone, the first comment was sarcastic and meant to highlight people’s general call to reactivity when a more measured, thoughtful response would be more productive. perhaps the sarcasm was lost. what i said later in the thread was not in fact, meant to be taken sarcastically.
I wrote a post but it didn’t take. I hate that !
JD, Thank you. You did your homework well. I was just going by the NYC Housing Gov. web page. It still doesn’t explain why they say , “Program Type : Federal.”
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/developments/dev_guide.shtml
Also, talking about crime in the hood, check out the info at…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackszwergold/2241621569/in/pool-clintonhillbrooklynny
Wow (#47) — I really hope your comment was sarcastic. Otherwise it’s just pathetic.
#47 should be deleted.
#50 should be deleted.
49, 50, 51, and 52 should be deleted. really!
or why the projects are run by the New York City Housing Authority.
Please don’t front like you know who Killer Ben is (or was).
the cops at the 88th are on the take from the drug dealers on Clifton Place between St James and Grand. this is a known fact. did anyone read the recent article about the cops involved in drug dealing in other parts of the city? it happens here too. several people in the community have tried to go above the 88th’s head but the cops put an end to that very quickly. be careful on these streets.
54 is right. those dealers have been there forever and nothing is done. they are on the corners of grand and clifton just steps away from strollers parked outside cafe’s and restaurants.
JD why are you still here?
Please leave.
Did you used to get your weed from one of Killer Ben’s boys.
You tool.
As a woman, you grow accustomed to a certain level of harassment, but I have to say the most fowl, most offensive, most threatening statements come from these fresh faced packs of boys. It makes me furious that they think they can talk to me like that, because no matter how ‘poor’ the ‘parenting’ I know they would not dare to talk to their mothers like that! They seem to do it to impress each other, all the while glancing around the group to see if it’s earning points despite causing them discomfort.
I’ve lived in this neighborhood for five years (Franklin & Gates) and it has not been until the last 2 of these that such events have creped into my day to day. I once stopped a group of teens beating up this guy for his ipod, while a happy party of folks bbqed just steps away and did nothing. “Oh, we just thought it was some kids” they said when I confronted them. Well it WAS kids, doing some serious harm and they thought nothing of it.
The latest event happened on the train, just before Clinton-Washington, when another group of boys sprang up against one man, threatening him with their umbrellas. Several women on the train, myself included, got up to intervene and I ended up pressed against the door behind the guy they were wailing on.
So my question is, who’s telling them that it’s ok to treat people this way? As educators, how do we address the root of this problem? Sure, more police might help, but I don’t think the key is adding more oppression.
There’s a church every three steps around here… I would like to see them opening their doors with after school activities.
The way I see it, teenagers play out the extreme version of the world they live in, so in short, we need to be setting better examples for them.
No one, except their peers, is telling them “it’s ok to treat people this way”.
They know better and if they tell you they don’t then they’re lying.
People know right from wrong at a very young age. What they also learn at a young age is how to calculate the risk of getting caught and/or punished.
limestone, check it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0812974441/wnycorg-20
shit is never as cut and dry as you are making it. never.
I have been in C.H. for about 4 years now. I’ve luckily never had an incident in the hood but did get jumped by 2 teenagers in the Flushing Ave G train station. No teller and no cops anywhere. As someone stated before it IS very hard to shake off. It made me very paranoid to walk anywhere (especially at late hours when streets are desolate – I’m a bartender)and much more aware of my surroundings. I have been meaning to get mace and I go much more out of my way to travel with a friend or take cabs when I can. While I have never been attacked in C.H. I was followed by a teenager who kept saying “Miss..miss…come here”. I knew something was up so I sped up and turned a corner. It wasn’t even dark. Even without being attacked, there is clearly tons of shady business going on in the area. The blatant drug dealing on Clifton & Grand for example. I won’t even walk down that street (and it’s a block away from me) because they ALWAYS have something rude and disrespectful to say. It is very obvious that the 88th precinct are doing nothing which is a shame. It seems clear now if they are in fact taking handouts from the dealers. Corrupt.
As far as the teens go, many of you have gotten it right. I live a block away from Lafayette Gardens and many of the teens in the area live there. I have heard stories from my mailman of the living conditions of that place. I have talked to people that live there. There are A LOT of children being raised there in bad conditions and unstable families. When you are brought into that kind of world, these street crimes seem to go hang in hand with their lives. With some of the things these people are subjected to, attacking an innocent person seems like nothing.
It seems a shame that over the years I’ve felt compelled to play down the way I look before walking around in certain areas. Baggy clothes, no makeup, hats…just to not stand out. I do not own an iPOD and would NEVER use one in public as that is one of the biggest causes of attacks. They always seem to be stealing an iPOD. *sigh*….
[...] above) noted a disturbing similarity to an assault last year at the same spot that was recounted on Clinton Hill Blog: “It was 6:15pm and I was crossing Lexington Ave just 50 feet from my own front door as a [...]
[...] above) noted a disturbing similarity to an assault last year at the same spot that was recounted on Clinton Hill Blog: “It was 6:15pm and I was crossing Lexington Ave just 50 feet from my own front door as a [...]
[...] above) noted a disturbing similarity to an assault last year at the same spot that was recounted on Clinton Hill Blog: “It was 6:15pm and I was crossing Lexington Ave just 50 feet from my own front door as a [...]
simply put.
groids.
this is what they do.
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