Follow-up on juvenile crime spree in Glens Falls: 2 eyewitnesses contact us

By Mark Frost, Chronicle Editor

We’re following up on last week’s front-page story headlined “GF Police: Group of juveniles in crime spree,” in which police reported “a large number of complaints of incidents that juveniles have been involved in the past week.”

Chief Jarred Smith confirmed to us three assaults specifically, including one on the patio outside Downtown City Tavern on Elm Street. Chief Smith and Mayor Bill Collins said they know the youths’ names and are working on the matter.

The Chronicle was contacted by two people who said they witnessed the indicent outside Downtown City Tavern.

First eyewitness:

Well, this group of kids is very large and loud. They roam this neighborhood on bikes; they’re usually together in a group. The other night, second night in a row, they were making a disturbance out here on Clinton Avenue, right by Hank’s Carpet place, really, really loud.

Some of the residents called the police. The police responded. The kids will scatter. The police were there, and then they drove away — one went off in one direction, one went off in the other direction.

One of the kids in the group walked across the street and got onto the patio where there was a group of three already eating and he plunked down at a table.

Immediately the kids stormed the patio over to be where their buddy was for whatever reason or other I don’t know — you could just hear a lot of profanity and shouting.

There were two gentlemen and a lady sitting at a table. [One man] was disturbed by the language and, I think as any responsible adult would, told them to stop it, it was not polite or whatever.

Next thing you know, there is a donnybrook, they are jumping on this guy. And now he’s got him in a chokehold. The other fellow’s up and it was a real donnybrook.

And some of the kids were picking up furniture, chairs and hitting the guy with it. Now they’re down on the ground, you know, rolling around.
Finally the police show up again. And, again, of course the kids scoot off, everybody goes off in their own direction.

Second eyewitness:

Two kids were verbally assaulting an African American boy who came in and sat at the table next to us. They were consistently using the “N” word telling him he didn’t belong here, get out of town, etc.

The gentleman I was with stood up and politely asked them to leave, that we were trying to enjoy dinner.

The two boys jumped the kid in the chair — that’s when the person I was with tried to pull them off him.

They then tackled him, and by the time I stood up two kids were punching my friend and one was kicking him in the head. I reached in and pulled two of them off him and restrained them.

That’s when I was attacked from behind and dropped to my knees. I was hit with a table, then a chair thrown at my head….

These kids clearly use their numbers and the knowledge that there are no consequences. They appear to lack any respect for adults.

Somehow I hope the community can come together and steer these kids in a different [direction] before it’s too late and somebody gets seriously hurt.

Board of Public Safety meets 9/13

The Glens Falls Board of Public Safety meets next on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 4 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room at City Hall.

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