Feb 29, 2008 9:15 am US/Eastern
Gang Beating Video Pulled From YouTube
Footage Shows Attack On High School Student
OSSINING, N.Y. (CBS) ―
CBS station WCBS-TV in New York has learned of another case of kids videotaping criminal acts and posting them on the Internet.
But this time the long arm of the law caught up with the teens and put them in handcuffs.
The video is disturbing to watch, and the language on it vulgar. Four teenage boys shamelessly beat an Ossining High School student.
Each kick and punch was caught on camera. After being posted on YouTube.com, the suspects were caught by police.
"That just does nothing but to spur other kids to do these things and think it's cool to put it on the Internet," said Lt. William Sullivan of the Ossining Police Department.
Police say the 18-year-old victim was jumped as he walked through a church parking lot.
The attack stemmed from a fight over a girl. Police say someone who was tagging along with the attackers was recording the entire beating with his video camera.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon. The 16- and 17-year-old suspects, members of a local gang called "Certified Gangsters" or CG, relentlessly bashed the boy to the ground, slashing his face and neck with a knife as he desperately tried to get away.
They also punched a teenage girl when she tried to stop the fight.
An investigation into a separate attack on Tuesday led cops to the incriminating tape.
"During the investigation one of the detectives interviewed students and found out there was a tape and it was posted on YouTube," Sullivan said.
The four suspects, all students at Ossining High School, are charged with first degree gang assault. The video has been removed from YouTube.
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