Police: 20-25 teens storm Ga. train, attack riders

[amtrakwolverine]

ATLANTA (AP) — Authorities say a group of 20 to 25 youths boarded a public train bound for Atlanta's airport and attacked a couple of passengers.
Police said Wednesday one of the teenagers hit a rider in the face with an aluminum can, pushed him down and stole his wallet. Another passenger on the MARTA train was punched in the face.

http://portal.wowway.net/news/read.php?rip_id=%3CD9MNJA3O1%40news.ap.org%3E&ps=1011

 

[ACVitale]

Another group of future responsible citizens making wise choices and helping their fellow man.

Ok reality, This is a lovely example of the state of human affairs.

 

[Ryan]

Sounds like business as usual for WMATA.

 

[TVRM610]

My favorite quote...

"MARTA spokesman Lyle Harris says no arrests have been made."

 

[Spokker]

The video of this incident must be released as soon as possible.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Another excuse not to use subway system.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

MARTA lives up to its "other name"

 

[Spokker]

I am careful not to label this as any sort of trend, but it sure does feel that attacks on mass transit are increasing. Clusters of attacks can lead one to think that when no trend actually exists, but hey, I'm an infallible human too.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-disabled-man-abused-on-bus,0,5054740.story

This one is from San Bernardino, CA. The video is very disturbing. If you can get through it without getting angry, you have no soul.

This is why I want the video from the MARTA incident released. I don't want people to be scared to take public transit, but I also don't want to shield the public from reality.

 

[tp49]

MARTA lives up to its "other name"

Hah, I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[Ispolkom]

I am careful not to label this as any sort of trend, but it sure does feel that attacks on mass transit are increasing. Clusters of attacks can lead one to think that when no trend actually exists, but hey, I'm an infallible human too.

I thought that the secular trend over the past decade has been to less random violence in public places. But I could be wrong. Living in St. Paul, Minn., I'm rarely up past 10 p.m. anymore.

 

[George Harris]

I am careful not to label this as any sort of trend, but it sure does feel that attacks on mass transit are increasing. Clusters of attacks can lead one to think that when no trend actually exists, but hey, I'm an infallible human too.

I thought that the secular trend over the past decade has been to less random violence in public places. But I could be wrong. Living in St. Paul, Minn., I'm rarely up past 10 p.m. anymore.

The flip side is that it has become so common that it is no longer news.

 

[battalion51]

As someone who rides MARTA five days a week, I'd love to say I'm surprised, but I'm really not. It's a very rare occasion that I'm on the train south of Five Points, and there's a reason for that. When I got hired to come work here the group of folks I hired out with and I all had a meeting with our General Manager to talk about Atlanta. First thing he did was pull up Google Maps and show us the Metropolitan area. He pointed to I-20 and said, "Ok, so you don't want to live south of here, or be in the immediate vicinity of it." And the sad thing is, he's right. The only time I ever do anything on the south end, inside the perimeter, is go to the airport, or I had a banquet that I went to at Fort McPherson (technically Turner Field is South of I-20, but it's close enough that there's not much inherent danger in the immediate area of the stadium). Other than that, I stick to the north end, and I'm just fine with it being that way.

 

[Steve4031]

Mobs of teenagers have been shoplifting on Michigan avenue in chicago too. This is going on everywhere.

 

[leemell]

I am careful not to label this as any sort of trend, but it sure does feel that attacks on mass transit are increasing. Clusters of attacks can lead one to think that when no trend actually exists, but hey, I'm an infallible human too.

I thought that the secular trend over the past decade has been to less random violence in public places. But I could be wrong. Living in St. Paul, Minn., I'm rarely up past 10 p.m. anymore.

Actually all crime including violent crime has been declining for more that 20 years. The rate is now at a level not equaled since about 1959-1960.

 

[Anderson]

Wow...old thread returns. I've got to say that I think it's a shame that when this happens, they can't just keep the train moving until some police arrive at a destination and hand these bastards a few years in jail for their trouble (and yes, you can probably arrest the entire mob if you so desire). Particularly on a route like that (which ends at the airport), a distress protocol of some sort that keeps the train moving would seem to be in order if this (attacking trains) is a pattern.

To the inevitable counter that we can't jail them all forever (see also California), I'd argue that a couple of cases where you simply jail the entire mob (and frankly? Given the situation, this would be a nice place for airport security to actually make themselves bloody useful) might have a productive impact. The term is "accessory".