A disabled veteran was attacked in the heart of downtown Cleveland, becoming the latest victim of the nationwide knockout game in which predominantly black teenagers assault unsuspecting citizens with punches to the face and head.
“What they were saying was, ‘Knock that boy out!'” U.S. Army veteran Matthew Robinson said. “‘White boy.’ ‘Cracker.’ They were saying, ‘Knock that white boy out.'”
Robinson was attacked, robbed, and taunted with racial slurs. According to CBS affiliate WOIO, the alleged perpetrators videotaped the incident.
Matthew, who is attending college, was riding a bus when the incident occurred and is helping Cleveland police identify his attackers. Six to eight teens surrounded him on the bus, followed him off, and started attacking him. The “punks” scattered when the police showed up.
“The whole time I’m just thinking pretty much just protect yourself and don’t let anybody get behind you. Nobody stepped in to help,” Robinson told CBS. According to WOIO, mobs of teens have been a problem in a city square, leading to a surfeit of police in order to take back the square. Last month, an African-American teen was brutally beaten.
“No one should have to deal with this kind of racism and ridicule,” Robinson further remarked. Robinson wants punishment for the perpetrators and to have his story be a warning to the people of Cleveland to stay on guard.
“I think there should be jail time for assault. I mean who is to say that your mother or your sister couldn’t be on the bus and the same thing could happen,” the veteran added. So far, police have found three of the alleged perpetrators, two males, 18 and 19-years old, and a 16-year old girl with a video of the attack on her phone.