Two teenagers, who were part of a flash mob attack that injured six people, are now in custody. Among those attacked were an off-duty police detective and his wife.
The attack took place in Center City Philadelphia at around 6 p.m. on Saturday. More of the attackers are being sought after by police officials. The attack took place specifically in 1600 block of Walnut Street after a group of teens started to assault pedestrians at random.
ABC reported that one of the witnesses, identified as Dwight Magwood, ran into a nearby store in order to escape the sudden attacks. Magwood said that he heard a lady screaming and saw a number of people get out of the area in order to stay safe.
According to the off-duty Philadelphia detective, 55, he first saw a 21-year-old man being attacked by the group of teenagers. The detective then moved closer to intervene causing the attackers to flee. The detective then went back to where his wife was standing and saw another group attacking two women, who are ages 20 and 21, then he announced that he is a police officer. He tried to arrest one of the attackers but the group started to punch him, NBC Philadelphia reported.
The off-duty detective's wife, 53, splashed water on one of the attackers but she was also punched in the face. The group fled thereafter but the attacks did not stop. Later, a 28-year-old man was also attacked in the 100 block of South 16th Street. Out of the six people injured, four were treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Two of them declined to be medically evaluated. Accordingly, the off-duty detective suffered the most from the attack as he had a fractured eye socket.
The teenagers who were taken in are said to be 16 years old. They are facing assault charges. Investigators are still gathering surveillance videos and evidence in order to make more arrests. Meanwhile, the people attacked did not provoke the attackers.
