- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
BY KEN KOSKY
kkosky@nwitimes.com
219.548.4354 | Sunday, November 05, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
PORTAGE | Portage police are considering the possibility that the homeless man beaten to death several weeks ago inside the tent he pitched in Portage was the victim of a national fad called "bum rushing."
Across the country, groups of teens are going out and beating homeless people -- fatally in many cases. At least 100 homeless people in this country have been attacked and 17 have died so far this year, according to Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington.
Stoops said bum rushing videos began surfacing about 1991, and attacks on the homeless have increased almost every year since. Many attacks have been videotaped by the attackers.
Detective Capt. Terry Swickard of the Portage police said the idea of bum rushing was brought to the department's attention, and it isn't being ruled out.
However, he said the August murder of 47-year-old Bradley Bothwell behind the Walgreens store on U.S. 6 doesn't appear to be the case of some kids approaching and landing a few blows. He said the horribly violent attack left Bothwell's skull in 100 pieces.
The detective also said there hasn't been any talk at the schools, indicating a group of local teens are probably not involved.
Still, police aren't ruling out any possibility and they continue to ask for the public's help in solving the murder, which they now say occurred between sunset Aug. 21 and the early morning of Aug. 22. Bothwell's body wasn't found for several days, but police pinpointed the time of death by having Dr. Neal Haskell, a renowned forensic entomologist, study bugs recovered from the crime scene.
The National Coalition for the Homeless began tracking the murder of homeless people after several were killed in Denver in 1999. "Bum fights" began showing up on the Internet within a couple years, and the problem spread, Stoops said. He said it now "permeates the youth culture."
"It's definitely a trend and it's continuing," Stoops said, adding there have been 500 attacks and 183 deaths in this country during the past seven and a half years.
Attacks on the homeless have risen six of the past eight years, according to Stoops, who was aware of Bothwell's murder in Portage. Bothwell's sister, Omaha, Neb. resident Gillene Million, said there was also a homeless man beaten to death just days ago in Omaha.
Stoops said the problem of bum rushing is starting to get the attention it deserves. He co-authored a piece for The Christian Science Monitor in October, the same month the CBS news program "60 Minutes" did a report on it.
"The real solution to ending violence against homeless people by teenagers (is more shelters)... If they (the homeless) were not outside, there would be a lot less violence or no violence against homeless people," Stoops said.
Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, said several things can be done to thwart the problem of attacks on the homeless:
* Work to eliminate the lack of residential space for homeless people so they don't have to stay on the streets, where they are vulnerable to attacks.
* Encourage law enforcement to establish relationships with the homeless and step up patrols of their areas.
* Encourage the homeless to stay in groups and to self-patrol the areas where they hang out.
* Have local homeless shelter officials bring their clients to middle schools and high school to tell their stories and humanize the homeless.
* Educate the public that the stereotype of all homeless being mentally ill or substance abusers isn't accurate.
* Add attacks on homelessness to criminal hate crime statutes.
Back to story No comments posted.
- It wasn't clear, concise or focused on the topic in the story.
- It was a personal attack, vulgar, explicit or degrading, used actual or implied profanity or contained potentially libelous statements.
- It accused someone of being guilty of a crime.
- It promoted violence or illegal acts.
- It contained telephone numbers or street addresses, or e-mail addresses and links to Web sites other than nwi.com or government agencies.
In no way do these comments represent the views of The Times or Lee Enterprises.
Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude and profane language and personal abuse are not welcome.
Reader comments will not be edited - they will be approved or declined. They may be used in the print edition of the newspaper.
If you feel a posted comment has violated these guidelines, please email our New Media team the commenter's name, the comment and a link to the article.
For more information please read our Terms of Service.