Seven teenagers have been indicted for an attack against two other teens in Queens, New York, involving a metal baseball bat and other forms of violence. District Attorney Melinda Katz described the incident as a brutal assault, "This was an outrageous act of mob violence, and these children will never forget the cruelty they experienced at the hands of these defendants," according to the Queens District Attorney's Office.
The attack, which occurred on May 2 in Kissena Park in Flushing, resulted in serious injuries for the two victims, aged 13 and 16. The Queens District Attorney's office reports that the assailants were all 17 years old and now face charges including attempted murder, gang assault, and robbery. They were arraigned by Supreme Court Justice Bruna DiBiase between June 4 and today, with the possibility of up to 25 years in prison, if convicted.
The indictment details a sequence of events, alleging that the 17-year-old female defendant lured a 13-year-old teen, with whom she had had a falling out, into the park. The younger teen, accompanied by a 16-year-old friend, was then approached by a group of about eight people. The group coerced the teens into the woods, claiming it would be better than a beating on the concrete playground.
Once secluded in the woods, the 16-year-old was reportedly struck by a metal bat and metal-spiked gloves, and while unconscious, partially had their head shaved with hair clippers. In the midst of the encounter, the younger victim attempted to intervene but was beaten as well. The assault left the younger teen with a concussion, eye damage, and extensive bruising, while the 16-year-old suffered memory loss, in addition to their physical injuries.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Leung is handling the prosecution, working under the direction of senior officials in the District Attorney’s office. The victims were discovered after a passerby notified police, and both were hospitalized due to their injuries. Justice Bruna DiBiase is presiding over the case, addressing the legal and procedural aspects surrounding the incident involving youth violence.
