Four teenagers in Florida have been remanded in custody without bond after a 40-minute attack on a disabled 19-year-old man at a bonfire event in Tiger Bay State Forest, near Daytona Beach. The suspects, Cody Stripling, 18, Sebastian Bowers, 19, Logan Levesque, 18, and Casey Knight, 19, were arrested following the incident, which was captured on mobile phone footage.
Attack on a Vulnerable Victim
The victim, who has limited mobility in one arm, was reportedly ambushed while sitting in the back of a pickup truck. The footage shows one person striking him on the head before throwing him to the ground, where the group kicked and punched him as he lay defenseless. Laughter can be heard during the assault.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood condemned the attack during a press briefing, calling the group "Scumbags of the Week." He said, "When I first saw it, the first reaction was I want to throw up. These morons, who we've dubbed 'Scumbags of the Week,' decide it's a good idea to beat somebody down who can't defend themselves."
Suspects' Claims and Charges
When questioned, the alleged attackers claimed the victim had made an unwelcomed remark to a woman at the fire and touched her leg, saying they were "defending the woman's honour." Sheriff Chitwood dismissed this, saying, "You're beating an individual that basically has one arm is what you're doing and some other issues. And you think it's cool. I don't get it."
The victim was left with a concussion and multiple minor injuries. Knight is accused of filming the attack and sharing it on Snapchat. All four face upgraded felony counts, including battery on a disabled adult.
Sheriff's Warning
Chitwood warned onlookers who film such incidents, saying, "If you're gonna stand there and film this stuff, and then post it, your a** is getting locked up, OK? You have a duty to intervene but you want to be a cameraman and get clicks and you want to film your punk coward a** friends, you're going to get the same treatment that they're going to get."
The victim's friend managed to get him to safety, and his mother alerted officers the following day. The four suspects remain in custody without bond.
