5 teens facing charges as investigation into homeless attacks widens
Five teenagers are now charged with attacking homeless people in two parks in the city of Auburn. Video surfaced on social media showing two teenage girls repeatedly kicking two homeless people while they sat at Moulton Park in Auburn on March 26. The video was shared on social media outlets such as TikTok, Snapchat and others, police said. It didn’t take long for authorities to identify and charge the two girls and the teenage boy who was behind the camera. After two other videos surfaced depicting other attacks at Bonney Park, police identified and charged two other teens. Three boys and two girls, all between the ages of 13 and 15, were charged. Four teens have been released to the custody of their parents, while the final teen is still being sought. Police say it appears the teens did it all for the camera but stopped short of calling the attacks ‘social media challenge.’ “This was something that played a big role in it,” Auburn’s Deputy Chief Tim Cougle said. “The fact that they were going to capture this on video and then share this on social media seems to be the primary factor in this,” he said. Tuesday, under an overpass and down a path not far from Bonney Park, a man by the name of Steve who identified as homeless said he knows the victims and is still shaken by the events that unfolded nearly two weeks ago. “Concerned about it because we got kids running around beating on homeless people,” Steve said. “We got kids — they’re not being taught respect for life anymore and it’s a shame,” he said. The teenagers charged will make their way through the juvenile court system. The teens have a court date set for June 9.
Five teenagers are now charged with attacking homeless people in two parks in the city of Auburn.
Video surfaced on social media showing two teenage girls repeatedly kicking two homeless people while they sat at Moulton Park in Auburn on March 26.
The video was shared on social media outlets such as TikTok, Snapchat and others, police said.
It didn’t take long for authorities to identify and charge the two girls and the teenage boy who was behind the camera.
After two other videos surfaced depicting other attacks at Bonney Park, police identified and charged two other teens.
Three boys and two girls, all between the ages of 13 and 15, were charged.
Four teens have been released to the custody of their parents, while the final teen is still being sought.
Police say it appears the teens did it all for the camera but stopped short of calling the attacks ‘social media challenge.’
“This was something that played a big role in it,” Auburn’s Deputy Chief Tim Cougle said. “The fact that they were going to capture this on video and then share this on social media seems to be the primary factor in this,” he said.
Tuesday, under an overpass and down a path not far from Bonney Park, a man by the name of Steve who identified as homeless said he knows the victims and is still shaken by the events that unfolded nearly two weeks ago.
“Concerned about it because we got kids running around beating on homeless people,” Steve said. “We got kids — they’re not being taught respect for life anymore and it’s a shame,” he said.
The teenagers charged will make their way through the juvenile court system. The teens have a court date set for June 9.
