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Park Slope Residents Say Cops Were Slow To Investigate Attack
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 23, 2011
Modified Apr 23, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 23, 2011
Modified Apr 23, 2011
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Yesterday, a video of a woman being attacked on a Park Slope street was made public, showing how her screams attracted the attention of neighbors, which then scared the man into releasing her. The attack occurred on March 20th, and residents say that the police didn't seem very interested in investigating the crime: One told WCBS 2, “Basically there’s a sense that the police aren’t going to do anything. And that encourages this kind of crime."
The attack occurred on 16th Street (the cross streets have not been disclosed) around 11:30 p.m.; the video is from a resident's surveillance camera. Another neighbor told WCBS 2, "The first time I heard about it was this morning when I actually asked your cameraman why you were here. Then, half an hour later, there’s a cop knocking on my door."
Women in the neighborhood were startled by the video—“I totally take my safety for granted in this neighborhood. And it’s very disturbing that this could happen right next to my door"—and a self-defense expert said that the victim in the video did the right thing by screaming, "Doing anything is doing the right thing. The fact that she was yelling was very effective,” but also gave other suggestions like, "a head butt, a fist to the groin, a stomp on the foot, a kick [to the groin]" and saying "fire," explaining, "That could be my car, that could be my apartment, that could be whatever, so people are definitely more affected by the word ‘fire,’ than the word ‘help,’ unfortunately."
Tagged
16th street
attack
brooklyn
nypd
park slope
police
self-defense
surveillance video
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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