A 65-year-old man shot and killed a teenager after the boy and his friends knocked the man off his bicycle and tried to assault him, Pennsylvania authorities say. Police did not reveal the identity of the elderly man, who they released without charges following the incident on the Thun Trail located in Berks County, the Reading Eagle reports. According to reports, the senior was biking down the trail when the group of boys -- ages 16, 16, and 15 -- knocked the man off his bicycle and attempted to rob him. The man drew his gun and fired two shots, killing one of the boys and severely wounding another, according to NBC Philadelphia. Cumru Township Police Chief Jed Habecker told WFMZ that the wounded teen had been taken in for surgery. The third boy, 15, was questioned and later brought to a county Youth Detention Center on unspecified charges, according to ABC. Bravo!
One assaulted by three - 'good shoot'. 15 and 16 years old is.... a) old enough to know the law, and 'good vs. bad'. b) old enough to be dangerous. c) old enogh to be punished for the crime like a man. Sad thing is, the old man will likely be sued by the "boy's" failure parents.
You'll probably here soon the old " he was just starting to turn his life around when that man took the law into his own hands"
As of the census 2010, the county was 76.9% White non-Hispanic, 4.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 16.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. Historically there was a large Pennsylvania Dutch (from Pennsylvania Deutsch or German) population. It is known as part of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Berks County also has large and growing Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Mexican communities. A ring city for Philly - go figure. The income figures don't look too bad - according to Muninetguide the median household income for Berks County, as of 2010, is $54,105. Right on the edge of farm country - wonder how much more of this goes on that doesn't hit the papers? I feel sorry for the old man, IF these yoots were 'bangers, he'll have to look over his shoulder from now on.
On the west coast i heard the refrain about such a good boy being unjustly deprived of life while committing a simple juvenile act. Since moving to Colorado the subject usually centers around caliber used and shot placement.
As a Penna Dutchman with inlaws and outlaws in Berks County, I can tell you that Reading and West Reading are not what they were 50 years ago. Without looking up the numbers, I can say that the demographics have shifted from one very high majority to another. Back in the day, anyone could go anywhere in either town at any time of day without a second thought. The area shifted from mining and metals to textiles, then to service "industry" to what is now (in town) a hole of unmaintained housing occupied by some good people on the lower rungs and a lot of ne'erdowells. LOTS and I mean LOTS do not hit the papers, largely because it is commonplace, meh, no biggie. I avoid going in town when I get in the area. (Besides, all the good pretzel factories are long gone. The best one left is Sturgis, out in Shillington, and they can't hold a candle to Billy's that closed 20 years ago.) That income number is county wide, not city, and includes some small industrial areas along with farmers. I'd also say that the majority of the citizens will back the old man. Bangers might try to retaliate, but methinks they would be discouraged right smartly. There is an underculture of baddies and druggies, but I think they tent to prey on each other along with casual passing thrus. Would I move there? No. Gitouta town routes are too well defined and too few, not to mention I've been gone too long to remember the back roads.