Over the weekend, a mob of 20 or more black youths swarmed a Memphis, Tennessee grocery store and beat a customer and two store employees into unconsciousness. Now the first arrests have been made in that case.
The incident occurred on September 6 at a Kroger grocery store in Memphis, Tennessee. Police reported that the large group beat a customer as well as the two store employees in an incident that was caught on video by a store customer. The video was widely viewed on Youtube.
On Sunday afternoon, Memphis police announced that they had arrested a teen for the incident. The 15-year-old, whose name was not reported because he is a minor, appeared in court charged with aggravated assault, aggravated riot, and acting in concert to wit aggravated assault.
He was not accompanied by a parent or any other relative during the hearing. Instead of releasing him, a judge ordered him held in jail.
The young man had not been enrolled in school this year and sources say his mother may also face charges.
The teen is already facing weapons charges in a separate incident and also has theft and drug charges on his record.
Also, police announced Monday the arrest of nine other teens and one adult for the Saturday attacks.
Raheem Richardson, 19, was the oldest person arrested. The others were between 14 and 17 years of age.
Memphis police reported that many of the suspects are in a street gang.
This incident was preceded by an attack by a mob of black youths on a white couple outside a nightclub in Springfield, Missouri. The couple were beaten and kicked to the ground. No arrest has been made in that incident.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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