Police have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the rape and robbery near 48th and Springfield on Tuesday night. The man faces 19 charges, including rape, robbery, and kidnapping. Police are not releasing his name because he’s a suspect in other crimes in the city.
Police Captain John Darby said that several agencies were involved in the arrest, including the FBI.
Police say that two teenagers robbed a 32-year-old woman, a teacher, and 40-year-old man at gunpoint at about 10 p.m. Tuesday. One suspect, who police say was 17-19 years of age, then sexually assaulted the woman while holding the gun to her head. The other suspect was a male approximately 14 years of age. Darby said during a press conference this morning that the younger suspect ran away before the sexual assault. The male victim confirmed that report.
Darby said that the search for the younger suspect continues.
September 15th, 2011 at 10:50 am
its a shame they dont show juveniles faces. i would like to know if my neighbors are rapists.theres alot of young kids up to no good in my neighborhood. alot of them hang around pentridge.
September 15th, 2011 at 10:52 am
…glad they made the arrest–but it seems to go much deeper than just catching 1 person…
September 15th, 2011 at 11:17 am
Death penalty. Problem solved.
September 15th, 2011 at 11:51 am
WHY IS IT THAT WE TRY TO BE SO TOLERANT AND UNDERSTANDING OF CRIMINALS THAT COMMIT SUCH VIOLENT CRIMES. WE BLAME PARENTS, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL FOR THESE DEGENERATES ACTIONS. THE YOUNG MAN THAT COMMITTED THE RAPE SHOULD BE EXECUTED SWIFTLY AND WITHOUT QUESTION. THIS WOULD CERTAINLY SEND A MESSAGE THAT WOULD PERHAPS DETER FUTURE SIMILAR CRIMES FROM HAPPENING. NOW WE ALL HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS IDIOTS FUTURE IN THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Clearly. public execution of criminals since the year 1 has obviously been a very effective deterrent .. i am grateful to the death penalty and capital punishment for allowing me to live free in a society without murder and rape. thank god for the death penalty!
September 15th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Clearly our attempts of understanding and trying to change from within, these poor violent victim rapists and murderers, has been very productive in curtailing these inherent behaviors. Thank god for our collective ability to forgive and wish the best upon these unfortunate souls. I guess victims of such crimes are simply casualties of the peaceful war we’ve been so successfully waging.
September 15th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
The criminals must be held accountable. This whole juvenile justice system is so inadequate. Records often get expunged by the 18th birthday. Judges are too lenient. Sentences are too short. Kids run the streets and their parents don`t care where they are or with whom. As for the death penalty, it will never be a deterrent as long as our un-justice system allows endless appeals. Discipline is effective only when the consequences of bad behavior are delivered swiftly and consistently. To allow a rapist/murderer to appeal a death sentence and then live for 20 more years can not ever have a deterrent effect. One appeal and done. Thats it. With DNA evidence, the process can be streamlined.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
I’d like to put myself on the record as one neighbor who opposes the death penalty.
I’d also like to point out that the gentleman is innocent until proven guilty.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Thank you James Kennedy for your sober comment. I raise my hand, I second your point.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
I hope they post a picture of the guy. I really want to know if it’s the same assh*le that mugged me at 47th and Chester a few weeks ago.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
What’s with all the Inquirer readers posting here all of a sudden?
September 15th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Are people seriously suggesting the death penalty? Where are we!?
September 15th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Although I agree that rapist who couple their act with violence should be given greater sentences, I have to say the greater question here is why 15-19 year olds have guns and what kind of society somehow makes this a normal occurrence. Instead of saying we should start killing every teenager with a handgun.
I also live around the corner.
September 15th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Without being too contrary, I think it goes without saying that rape is always a form of violence.
I don’t see how executing anyone will restore anything to the couple. I think we ought to have some kind of justice system that requires criminals to restore something to their victims through work, or other forms of sacrifice, rather than simply seeking revenge for revenge’s sake.
September 15th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Jim,
I live on the block too, and people’s reactions and support of the death penalty are probably, more than anything, visceral/emotional reactions to this horrible crime. Though playing devils advocate, couldn’t one say that what’s possibly wrong with society is that the law isn’t strict enough on serious offenders? I am glad he was 18 so he can be tried as an adult. And of course it’s hard to explain why 15-19 year olds have guns… other than the fact that OTHER 15-19 year olds have guns. There is an element of self perpetuation that seems to obscure what the real underlying problem is.. and frankly, I think it’s because it’s a lot of things.
September 15th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
I live a few blocks from this neighborhood and have had an experience with being robbed at gunpoint. I’ve also been to the community meetings with detectives held every month. Very few people ever attend…imagine what the police officers would experience if those who are affected by this attended the meetings and voiced our concern? The attention the meetings would get if community members participated in these forums to express our disappointment and outrage? It’s not the only or best answer, of course, but it makes a lot more sense than labeling Black teens as degenerates and thanking god for the death penalty. I guess it’s much easier to blog about change than actually step up and make it happen.
September 15th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Somehow, I doubt that the perpetrator of the crime was contemplating the costs/benefits of his actions, and decided that the penalties against criminal rapists just weren’t harsh enough.
Whoever did this is screwed for life now, no matter what end of the narrow punishment spectrum for rapists they end up on.
Like Jim P. notes, what’s more important is why an individual would do this in the first place, especially after he didn’t apparently plan on it, and his accomplice ran away in fear/shame.
September 15th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
The death penalty is not the way to go. I understand not everyone shares in the same value of life as most of society and that is evident with this sort of behavior. To take it from a robbery to rape is seriously devious and at that point, I believe and favor that your rights as a member of society no matter how you participate in that, are revoked, hopefully for a long time. People who commit crimes like this, no matter what age or race are dangerous, whether they mean to be or not, whether abused, learned, taught. I am glad that they are pursuing the case as hard as they are. I live in this neighborhood and my friends live no more than 15 yards from where this went down, fortunately it was not them. My heart goes out to the two victims, both violated in ways no human should be. And yes, whoever they have apprehended is not guilty until they are proven in a court of law. The description of the perps could be almost any kid in any home in West Philly and it is important to keep that in mind. For me, it was just really alarming and something that should have never been and it was and like I said, any support or action that we can take as a community of HUMANS, I am all for. love.
September 15th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
one thing i don’t understand is how the boyfriend was “forced to watch at gunpoint” if the 13 yo ran off after pleading with the rapist to not carry out the assault. how can someone simultaneously rape and point a gun? were there more than the 2 suspects, maybe?
September 15th, 2011 at 11:22 pm
Seriously Andy turn the roid rage down. This is not a movie. Unless you are Chuck Norris, you’d have a bullet in your head attacking even a distracted man holding up a gun point blank. Then your lady would be raped anyway and perhaps killed as well. People can be rape survivors and go on and have rich lives. Dead is just dead.
Let’s stop calling the crime victims names here.
September 15th, 2011 at 11:58 pm
@Shelly. I took down Andy’s comment. No teenage macho bullshit here. Sorry Andy.
September 16th, 2011 at 12:07 am
I am pretty sure we all could have attended every monthly community meeting and these 2 degenerates would still be a problem in philadelphia. yes, the death penalty is preposterous, but we unfortunately live in a society with a shit justice system that allows criminals to have more than enough chances in life. as far as I am concerned this kid blew his chance at life by trying to ruin someone else’s life. even with life imprisonment, he will likely be up for parole in 15 years, which is about 60 years too soon.
September 16th, 2011 at 1:17 am
More cops!
September 16th, 2011 at 2:22 am
Thank you, Shelly:
“This is not a movie. Unless you are Chuck Norris, you’d have a bullet in your head attacking even a distracted man holding up a gun point blank. Then your lady would be raped anyway and perhaps killed as well. People can be rape survivors and go on and have rich lives. Dead is just dead.
Let’s stop calling the crime victims names here.”
The victims got through the situation alive. No individual knows how or if they would have done the same, or what response they truly would have had unless they were there.
If you are ever in this situation, do what you need to do, but remember: “People can be rape survivors and go on and have rich lives. Dead is just dead.” How much do you love life, and what are your priorities? Every person has a right to answer that for himself or herself.
September 16th, 2011 at 2:27 am
Screw the death penalty, this kid deserves worse. I’m pretty sure castration would send a much more direct message to would be rapists, seriously. *I wrote something more descriptive and gory here, but just think about it.
September 16th, 2011 at 3:50 am
i just had two punks try to stick me and everyone at my house for a bday party. We really gave them a scare- but come on- the death penalty? Sure prisons cost a shitton, but death penalties are outrageously priced, not to mention- if they are that young- whats the diff from a child soldier in africa whos been brainwashed. Death to no one. We need to stary really caring for our young, teaching those who don’t know good values. Ground up. Can’t just expect to kill them all, it just causes more violence.
September 16th, 2011 at 8:44 am
There seem to be a number of people on this forum calling for longer prison sentences as a crime deterrent. I’d hasten to point out that while this might enhance your FEELING of safety, it does little in actuality. We’d do better to focus first on building stronger communities that allow kids to grow up supported and cared for so they don’t end up acting like gun-toting idiots.
Second, long sentences do little to actually rehabilitate the person who committed the crime or to create a safer society. Recidivism rates in the U.S. are obscenely high–well over 50%–meaning that more than half of people who get out of jail are going to go back in. Compare that to somewhere like Norway, which has SHORTER sentences, a strong focus on in-prison training in emotional, academic, and job skills. There, the recidivism rate is around 20%, meaning that 8 out of every 10 people who go to jail there get out, stay out, and (hopefully) become contributing members of their communities.
I’ll add that I was mugged a little over a year ago on 48th and Chester by two teenage girls. The police caught them, I identified them, and they were carted away. I have no idea what happened to them next. I didn’t get much out of the “criminal justice” experience as a victim. I didn’t even get my purse back. I would have preferred a chance to talk with the girls, tell them they were acting like jerks, get them to realize that their actions had real human consequences for me, maybe even figure out what was going on in their heads, maybe even get an apology. I would have liked to see them do some volunteer service for a cause I (or we) cared about, have them see what it feels like to make a positive contribution to a stranger’s life. I would have wanted them to graduate high school, find a job paying a fair living wage, and go on to get their lives straightened out and be decent people. I have no confidence that anything like that happened or could have happened as things stand.
To read more on this, I’d suggest taking a look at this post on The Economist: http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/07/norwegian-v-american-justice, or looking at some of the excellent research being done on restorative justice, victim support, and crime reduction at the Vera Institute for Justice, http://www.vera.org.
September 16th, 2011 at 11:44 am
norway is a mostly homogeneous country where there is more more societal pressure to acclimate to the norms. you cannot compare norway to the melting pot of varying race and creed within america.
also…i am all for stronger communties. are you going to tell me how you plan to build those? this has long been the problem. concept is great, but low success rate when put into action.
September 23rd, 2011 at 12:51 am
I was mugged at gunpoint with my bf near the Margaret Orthodox El stop this past summer. The descriptions of the males in this article are very similar to what the males looked like who robbed us. During the robbery, I was told to take off my clothes but thankfully I was not raped. The robbers didn’t check how much they were getting away with (which was not much at all by the way.) Perhaps that was the difference between the two crimes (if they were in fact commmitted by the same people?) The robbers checked this time and got angry and raped the woman?
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Reading about all the muggings in my neighborhood makes me feel a little less picked on, since I was mugged on 47th and Chester last fall. (@TC: did you call the police? Was there any response?) Since then, just ultra ultra cautious, and actually probably don’t go out as often at night. Definitely don’t walk the neighborhood as much as I use to. Too bad that this element, which is likely less than 5%, fncks up the entire neighborhood.
September 25th, 2011 at 11:02 pm
Has anyone else noticed a greater presence of the U City bike cops lately on our side of Baltimore Ave?
And don’t forget about their escort service: 215-243-0555 or 215-387-3942
You never have to walk home alone.
September 26th, 2011 at 9:50 am
I have Laura
I live right at the 49th st Septa station bridge (on Regent, between and Kingssessing and Chester) and have noticed the Yellow bike patrol hanging out there. which is great