Driver who stopped to check on boy his truck hit is severely beaten by bystanders

[Bill Simpson]

This might be something where the whites start hunting the blacks. The whites seem really pissed off this time. I'm going to watch out for whites in camo in the city. I don't think Chief Craig can stop them.

[Dan Wesson]

This might be something where the whites start hunting the blacks. The whites seem really pissed off this time. I'm going to watch out for whites in camo in the city. I don't think Chief Craig can stop them.

Would that be considered....................Profiling?

Interesting, Hoodie & baggy drawers and Camo's as uniforms.

I prefer a Ninja Black gi.

[cla1945]

Myself, and all civilized white/black people that I know, are enraged over this vile, repugnant, despicable act those cowardly snakes did to Mr. Utash; and, as much as we would all like to dole out our own 'justice' to them, being humans, we will wait for justice to take its course in the courtroom rather than in the streets.

[A2Mike]

I'm nostalgic about Detroit. I go there four or five times a year to visit the still splendid [[for now) DIA, where many years ago I enjoyed contemplating exhibits, and then had afternoon coffee with pastry from the late, great Ranier bakery, before Thomas Hoving got museums marketing themselves like theme parks with that "art is for everybody" claptrap and turning them into ersatz playgrounds. These days I also like to browse at John King's book store and have a Coney Island snack or lunch at the Anchor. Last summer I walked around WSU and smiled when I went through State Hall, thinking about Professor Hooper's wry history lectures. An occasional detour to Greektown or a visit to Dumouchelle's, perhaps a stroll among the ghosts of Washington Blvd., and that about does it. Everything I loved about Detroit existed because it was a vital city deeply engaged in the productive economy of the day. Now it isn't and nothing seems like likely to bring it back to the level it once had. Some new businesses and jobs make the central core a nice little enclave for wishful thinkers and hipsters, but for most people outside Detroit it's going to remain a place for a quick dip into nostalgia, and then back to real life, while central Detroit remains a cheery, nervous island in a hostile sea.

[antongast]

I'm nostalgic about Detroit. I go there four or five times a year to visit the still splendid [[for now) DIA, where many years ago I enjoyed contemplating exhibits, and then had afternoon coffee with pastry from the late, great Ranier bakery, before Thomas Hoving got museums marketing themselves like theme parks with that "art is for everybody" claptrap and turning them into ersatz playgrounds. These days I also like to browse at John King's book store and have a Coney Island snack or lunch at the Anchor. Last summer I walked around WSU and smiled when I went through State Hall, thinking about Professor Hooper's wry history lectures. An occasional detour to Greektown or a visit to Dumouchelle's, perhaps a stroll among the ghosts of Washington Blvd., an that about does it. Everything I loved about Detroit existed because it was a vital city deeply engaged in the productive economy of the day. Now it isn't and nothing seems like likely to bring it back to the level it once had. Some new businesses and jobs make the central core a nice little enclave for wishful thinkers and hipsters, but for most people outside Detroit it's going to remain a place for a quick dip into nostalgia, and then back to real life, while central Detroit remains a cheery, nervous island in a hostile sea.

Cool story, bro.

[7miledog]

Umm, yeah, sure. You mean like all that civil unrest after that white guy shot that unarmed black girl on his porch?

Umm, yeah, no. Reverse the race on the driver story and the headlines would have been that a black motorist was lynched. Very bad analogy.

[aj3647]

we will wait for justice to take its course in the courtroom rather than in the streets.

With the no-snitching policy in effect and perhaps even sympathetic eyewitnesses [[one female eyewitness interviewed by the news said that "he got his"), what are the odds that that the perps will be brought to justice? Who's going to testify against them?

The neighborhood will close ranks and protect its own. Three days now, and no suspects have been identified. If anyone was willing to give these guys up to the police, we'd have suspects already.

[Det_ard]

I will have to search for the article I read yesterday, but from what it said, these kids were running back and forth across the street in traffic all afternoon, there were witnesses; was it a game of chicken gone horribly wrong?
...

What were these boys doing standing on the curb so close to heavy traffic? From the video, it doesn't look like the boy 'slipped', it looks like he stepped into the truck because he went down right there, he wasn't thrown forward from a hit from the front of the truck.

The video from the gas station shows four boys standing close to curb, facing traffic. Two of the boys have their knees bent. Like a sprinter or football player does before taking off. They're clearly getting ready to bolt across the street, or at least out into the street. You never see someone standing with knees bent if they're just waiting for traffic to clear. It looks like these kids were playing a stupid and dangerous game.

What's sad is that there were 10-12 adults around ready to beat the driver that hit the boy, but those 10-12 adults didn't bother to tell the boys earlier to stop playing their dangerous game.

[corktownyuppie]

With the no-snitching policy in effect and perhaps even sympathetic eyewitnesses [[one female eyewitness interviewed by the news said that "he got his"), what are the odds that that the perps will be brought to justice? Who's going to testify against them?

The neighborhood will close ranks and protect its own. Three days now, and no suspects have been identified. If anyone was willing to give these guys up to the police, we'd have suspects already.

That's a pretty bold prediction.

2 have already been arrested with more on the way.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detr...driver-beating

[dguy4evr]

I'm nostalgic about Detroit. I go there four or five times a year to visit the still splendid [[for now) DIA, where many years ago I enjoyed contemplating exhibits, and then had afternoon coffee with pastry from the late, great Ranier bakery, before Thomas Hoving got museums marketing themselves like theme parks with that "art is for everybody" claptrap and turning them into ersatz playgrounds. These days I also like to browse at John King's book store and have a Coney Island snack or lunch at the Anchor. Last summer I walked around WSU and smiled when I went through State Hall, thinking about Professor Hooper's wry history lectures. An occasional detour to Greektown or a visit to Dumouchelle's, perhaps a stroll among the ghosts of Washington Blvd., and that about does it. Everything I loved about Detroit existed because it was a vital city deeply engaged in the productive economy of the day. Now it isn't and nothing seems like likely to bring it back to the level it once had. Some new businesses and jobs make the central core a nice little enclave for wishful thinkers and hipsters, but for most people outside Detroit it's going to remain a place for a quick dip into nostalgia, and then back to real life, while central Detroit remains a cheery, nervous island in a hostile sea.

Sorry to say that you are spot on on this one. I used to go to the DIA with my steady girl [[now my Wife of 42 years) and then just hang around the Downtown area.
What troubles me is the spin control of the media that is probably driven by the powers that are dumping tons of money into the Woodward corridor. [[Sorry Mike and Dan) I understand that the last thing you need is a situation like this. But face the facts. Unless you make this city safe again you are putting your bucks into an endless money pit. People are not going to come down to city where you can't walk one lousy block East or West of venues such as the Joe, Fox Theater, Comerica Park, or Ford Field without fearing for your life.

[Gistok]

I've pretty much stayed out of this discussion, a very sad story, and with no happy ending all around... neither for the neighborhood, the city, nor the victims and perpetrators involved...

My mother used to live about a mile from here, over on Marseilles St. near Balduck Park [[just north of Chandler Park Dr.). And the story of that neighborhood mirrors this Morang neighborhood to a degree. Before mom passed away in 2010, we were trying to get her to move, because so many break-ins were happening, and so many homes in her neighborhood were now empty due to foreclosure. And it seemed that all the people who were moving in were renters, who started letting their property go untended. But mom wouldn't hear of moving out of her house of 51 years.

In summer 2009 I had an experience driving thru her neighborhood, that was a bit unsettling, and moreso now than then. While driving down her street I came across a large party in front of one or more of the houses. There were mostly young people everywhere, even in the street. And yes, they were all African-American. As I was driving slowly waiting for the traffic to clear in the street, one rather slow moving intransigent teen said to me as I was slowly cruising by... "you better slow down... otherwise these folks will be on you like you've never seen before".

Now fast forward 4 years... and those haunting words come back to me and make me wonder... what if that had been me 4 years ago that just minorly hit someone on Marseilles St...

[corktownyuppie]

With the no-snitching policy in effect and perhaps even sympathetic eyewitnesses [[one female eyewitness interviewed by the news said that "he got his"), what are the odds that that the perps will be brought to justice? Who's going to testify against them?

The neighborhood will close ranks and protect its own. Three days now, and no suspects have been identified. If anyone was willing to give these guys up to the police, we'd have suspects already.

I'm not saying "snitches-get-stiches" is dead. But I think you'd be surprised on who's turning the guys in.

Woody said that residents in the area surrounding the incident have been a “tremendous help” in the investigation. The boy’s uncle, Desmond Key, told the Associated Press that the boys Harris was with near the edge of the road ran into a house to tell family members he had been hit by a car. When Key went outside, he said he saw his nephew on the ground screaming and Utash being pummeled in the driveway of the gas station.

"We don't know those people that did that to that guy. Our main focus is on David," Key told the AP. "We weren't cheering it on. We weren't rooting for it."

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._river_default

[27 Mile]

I think the biggest impact of the driver being beaten is the reaction of adults in the burbs who have teens and college kids wanting to work or intern and live in the city. It simply reinforces everything they've felt about Detroit being an unsafe warzone full of random violent crime.

Hypothetical: if say a summer intern is raped and worse this summer, how would it impact the revival efforts? Tiane Brown was only a few months ago. I feel like a 20-something college intern getting harmed in Detroit this summer would be absolutely devastating for the revival efforts. And if it's some cute young girl they can plaster all over the media: game over, vacuum of enthusiasm and optimism would flee the city.

[jolla]

Two down: http://www.freep.com/comments/articl...iver-s-beating

[27 Mile]

Two down, due in no part to the kid's family who "didn't see nothin". Freaking scum.

[corktownyuppie]

I think the biggest impact of the driver being beaten is the reaction of adults in the burbs who have teens and college kids wanting to work or intern and live in the city.

If a Quicken intern is raped and worse this summer can you imagine how devastating it would be for the revival efforts? Tiane Brown

If such a thing happened it would definitely slow things down. Stop it completely? That might be overstating it.

But I'm not sure if you're implying it, but since I live downtown [[am writing from there right now) I don't think most people here see incidents like this one as significant regarding how safe we feel. Balfour and Morang is easily a 20-minute drive from here -- by highway. Most of us live in high rises we have secured parking and a guarded building entry. Private security is all over downtown Detroit, not to mention hundreds of cameras being monitored 24 hours per day.

so right or wrong, I don't feel any less safe living here as I would living in Grosse Pointe Farms, given that GPF is far closer. Other than the name of our city, there's not a lot in common we have with the day to day life of 48205 or nearby. That's a conversation for another thread because we have to make sure that that distance doesn't translate into disinterest.

20 minutes drive from 27 mile and Hall Rd puts you in Harper Woods. If two people get shot at Eastland Mall does that make you feel any less safe?

[Pam]

Yeah since many posters here have already declared where the "black" posters stand on this issue then I as a Black Man that has lived 32 out of 42 years of his life in the D will continue to be silent. Clearly since every last person of color hasn't come out and condemn the idiots that attacked this man then apparently that is a clear indictment that we all support them!

I concur with JT1, there are lots of asinine comments being made. This will be the only time I participate on this thread.....

Asinine is right. Why is it white people aren't expected to denounce every other white person who commits a violent crime, but black or muslim people are?

[Wesley Mouch]

I think the biggest impact of the driver being beaten is the reaction of adults in the burbs who have teens and college kids wanting to work or intern and live in the city.

If a Quicken intern is raped and worse this summer can you imagine how devastating it would be for the revival efforts? Tiane Brown

No.

But it would be a setback. How much depends on the reaction and handling of the situation. If Craig and DPD step up then less so. If Cush and the Dingleberries respond with bigoted comments blaming others, then more so.

[nain rouge]

I live on 3rd and drive all over Detroit, including the east side, and while the story did give me reason to pause, it's not something that weighs on me. Maybe I'm naive, but for some reason I never feel in danger in Detroit. But then again, I don't go to crack houses nor do I stop at shady liquor stores in bombed out areas at 2 am. Granted, neither was the man that was unjustifiably and regrettably attacked, but I'm viewing it as a fluke.

That said, if I was to accidentally hit someone with my car on the east side in the near future [[heaven forbid), I'm driving to the nearest precinct and turning myself in there.

[cla1945]

I've pretty much stayed out of this discussion, a very sad story, and with no happy ending all around... neither for the neighborhood, the city, nor the victims and perpetrators involved...

My mother used to live about a mile from here, over on Marseilles St. near Balduck Park [[just north of Chandler Park Dr.). And the story of that neighborhood mirrors this Morang neighborhood to a degree. Before mom passed away in 2010, we were trying to get her to move, because so many break-ins were happening, and so many homes in her neighborhood were now empty due to foreclosure. And it seemed that all the people who were moving in were renters, who started letting their property go untended. But mom wouldn't hear of moving out of her house of 51 years.

In summer 2009 I had an experience driving thru her neighborhood, that was a bit unsettling, and moreso now than then. While driving down her street I came across a large party in front of one or more of the houses. There were mostly young people everywhere, even in the street. And yes, they were all African-American. As I was driving slowly waiting for the traffic to clear in the street, one rather slow moving intransigent teen said to me as I was slowly cruising by... "you better slow down... otherwise these folks will be on you like you've never seen before".

Now fast forward 4 years... and those haunting words come back to me and make me wonder... what if that had been me 4 years ago that just minorly hit someone on Marseilles St...

Similar thing happened to us a few years back. We wanted to visit the home we raised our kids in which is in the 7 Mile, Hayes and Brock area. Driving up Brock to our street to make a left turn on to the street, a group of black teens were playing basketball in the middle of our street. Turn signal on, these hood rats gave us the evil eye and continued playing, making no effort to move to allow us to make the turn. Needless to say, we continued up Brock towards State Fair and never looked back to the old house again. These thugs took over the neighborhood before we left, continue to run it, continue to destroy it, to this very day. Doesn't much matter what Chief Craig, Mayor Duggan or anyone does, Detroit will never resurrect itself if these teens are allowed to continue their rein of terror on everyone. There is no respect for anyone. My first response is, where are the F**king parents? My kids were never allowed to play in the street, period. Where is the supervision? The answer is obvious, there is none and no one cares. Too bad...because Detroit is still my hometown, I will always love it, it gave me a decent living for almost 35 years. Now, it's a lawless place with no rules.

[27 Mile]

Those kids that wouldn't let you drive thru are 4th or 5th generation Detroiters from damaged homes. Their distant ancestors were very likely former uneducated southern slaves and the 5th and 6th gen were a day late and a dollar short to the auto boom. They keep breeding and live on perpetual government assistance because making some babies and collecting a check is easy. You may save some of the kids here and there but never in the history of the country has a city so broken been saved. The region has over half a million people that are more or less helpless. Early childhood development is key. Majority of these kids are already damaged for life by primary school. Even if they're not completely past the point of being productive citizens, they are in school about 15% of their life, and you can't control the influences they're around the other 85% of the time. Unless you have a trillion dollars to spend, disrupting this cycle isn't realistic. Nor has this cycle on this scale ever been disrupted in the history of the country.

[Meddle]

I'd have saturated the area with scout cars. As many as possible so that you could see one in every direction. No more than five minutes between passes. Anybody in the street would get stopped, ID and ticketed for jaywalking if nothing else. Full, clear pressure like that area has never seen, day and night.

It would be made known that the ONLY way the pressure would back off is when ALL of the trash is turned in and enough witnesses are ID'd and will testify.

The neighborhood scimbags wouldn't be able to breathe without a uniformed cop noticing and they would get mighty tired of it in a day or so when they can't do their deals.

[Meddle]

I'd like to see the girl that ran her mouth to the reporter get hooked up too. Got to be something they could charge her with - obstruction of justice, witholding evidence, accessory after the fact, etc.

[river rat]

I rarely post on Detroityes because there is little rationality to the threads. This tragic story could have happened anywhere with any combination of races involved. What needs to be understood is that the probability of it occurring as it did in Detroit in the manner it did, is why the city has no realistic hope of any bright future.


Go ahead and build a streetcar line - no one will ride it. Until this city is safe for everyone nothing will save it.

[animatedmartian]

There's been 20-somethings that have been hurt, raped, and/or killed in Detroit, even in Midtown no less, but those sort of things happen in most major cities. The thing about Detroit is that the reactions seem bigger than the stories themselves.