MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Police are investigating after a 13-year-old boy was attacked by three older teens outside the Hickory Hill Community Center on Ridgeway last Wednesday.
The boy’s mother, who asked WREG to conceal her identity, said it was an adult woman who brought the teens to the community center and watched as they attacked her son.
She said the conflict began when the woman arrived at the community center to pick up her son and saw the victim laughing and joking with some other boys.
“She figured that my child – that the children were picking on her child even after her child said, ‘No, they didn’t do nothing to me,’” said the victim’s mother.
The mother said the woman made some threats, then returned to the community center with three high school students in tow, who promptly began to chase the victim.
“He fled, he tried to get away. There was three big boys, beards or whatever, running after him.”
In his haste, he tripped.
“They started to kick and punch him and everything.”
But the victim’s mom said she’s most surprised by the reaction of the woman who allegedly instigated the attack.
“This girl is in her car watching the whole thing go down like she’s the ringleader,” said the mom.
WREG knocked on her door to get her side of the story, but was greeted only by a barking dog.
The mom says when she confronted the woman last week, her explanation was simple.
“Her thing was, ‘Oh, we’re a gang family. We ride together. One fight, all fight.’”
It’s a frightening philosophy the mom is worried is already being passed down to a new generation.
“Investigate this person because she’s gonna cause harm to someone else’s child and they’re not gonna go the civilized route.”
WREG asked the Memphis Police Department if they could confirm the mother’s account, but they would only say that the case is under investigation.
