I think it would be helpful to know more details about exactly what happened before you figure out how to fix it.
This story was disturbing but vague. Was there any provocation whatsoever? Were their any words or looks exchanged between this group of teens and your friends? Did they appear to be targeted because of their race or sexual preference? Not to infer anything but was there anything the victims saw or heard that could have indicated they were targeted for either of those reasons? Were they robbed or did that seem to be a motive? Did the police ever respond to the scene? If so, did they provide any information about whether or not this was something going on on a regular basis with males of this same description? Could your friends have been followed from where they were coming from? Was anything said during the attack that could have indicated any motive? I'm not saying that this wasn't just some random attack by some folks out to get sick jollies on, but without details of any kind it's hard to figure out how to head off the next incident. If it appeared to be completely random, then folks need to know that too. I can understand why a description might not have been possible given the circumstances but also "four African-American males" is pretty broad. So does that mean I should be nervous every time a group like that passes me by? Given JonB's understandably angry reaction, that likely sets up the "us vs. them" scenario that seems to be prominent in this city. (But anyone who reads the papers should realize that African-American males are usually most dangerous to each other.) Again, not knowing the particulars, I can't make any assumptions about the victims race, sexual preference, just wondering if that or perception of that was a factor. But I do think JB has a good idea...but a providing as much detail as possible about the attack would be helpful in trying to head off the next one.

HUH? all I said was " Well ***** *** ******, ***? Also,**** ** ********** ***!!!!!! :lol:


P.S. ************ ***** ****. "

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You're quite right and my bad. My comments should have been more correctly directed to the original poster, Jon B...who had the good idea....and the understandably angry reaction!

This didn't happen to me. It happened to my friend's partner and one of his friends.

Are the "Badlands" just west of the Temple campus still pretty bad? It was probably the worst area of the city with drug and gang activity about 10 years ago.

Jon B, I know you're angry dude, but vigilante-style justice only works in Charles Bronson movies. I was held up at gun-point once (back in the day) by a few juvies, I know it sucks. However, one of the reasons why I got involved in the anti-violence movement was to work on a long-term systemic solution to violence in our neighborhoods. Walking around with a 9mm is more likely to get you injured than your attacker.

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Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.
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Charles Bronson has nothing on Chuck Norris.

Well, I agree vigilantism is not the answer. But what was discussed above, sans the anger and the guns, is town watch, and if there isn't an active town watch in the area you should use this as a catalyst to get one going. On the other hand, if there is already a town watch in this area, it's probably composed of a handful of dedicated people who would probably *love* to have some help, so why not find out who they are and start joining them - not walking around looking for someone to shoot, but just keeping an eye out and calling things in to 911.

call things to 911, wait a hour for them, have them take a "report" only for them to slam it in the filing cabinet under the header "garbage"

the police dont care about what goes on in areas such as this. just as long as it stays out of center city and rittenhouse where all the rich people are, everything to them is just fine.

I think the police could be doing a better job in Philly, but let's be fair here. My experience with calling 911 was that they arrived within 5 minutes (maybe even less than 1 minute -- it's hard to tell time when you're under stress), although that was too late to catch the guy, but I could've been a little quicker calling. Then a while after the incident, I got a witness subpoena in the mail -- they apparently caught the guy for another offense and matched him to my description. I don't know for sure whether it's the right guy since they can't legally do a lineup until he has an attorney, but I hope that clears up the incorrect perception that calling 911 does no good.

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