High School Girl Gang Raped while Teens Watched… Did Nothing to Help

Published on October 27th, 2009

Two suspects were arrested and third is being questioned in the gang rape of a California teen outside a high school homecoming dance, police said Tuesday.

The 15-year-old Richmond High School student hospitalized in stable condition after the attack, which happened while as many as 15 people, all males, looked on but didn’t help or call police, investigators said.The sex assault took place on school grounds Saturday while the dance was under way inside the school, authorities said.

“She was raped, beaten, robbed and dehumanized by several suspects who were obviously OK enough with it to behave that way in each other’s presence,” said Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan.

“What makes it even more disturbing is the presence of others,” Gagan said. “People came by, saw what was happening and failed to report it.” Manuel Ortega, 19, a former student at the school, was arrested soon after he ran from the scene. He faces charges of rape, robbery and kidnapping, and was held on $800,000 bail. “Based on witness statements and suspect statements, and also physical evidence, we know that she was raped by at least four suspects committing multiple sex acts,” Gagan said.

“As people announced over time that this was going on, more people came to see, and some actually participated,” Gagan said. The victim was found unconscious under a bench shortly before midnight Saturday after police received a call from someone who overheard people “reminiscing about the incident,” Gagan said.

54 users responded in " High School Girl Gang Raped while Teens Watched… Did Nothing to Help "

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# 1 Brian said, on October 27th, 2009 at 9:35 am

Just another example of how screwed up this country is. No morals, no thoughs about how anything effects anyone.

# 2 JohnT said, on October 27th, 2009 at 9:54 am

No one called police because they didn’t want to be accused of being racist… a hate crime in some areas.

# 3 Fat_Anarchy said, on October 27th, 2009 at 9:55 am

# 1

Yeah. Rape never used to happen a few years ago!

# 4 Pinkerton said, on October 27th, 2009 at 9:57 am

Our old foe, group-think. I am reminded of when allied troops gave compulsory tours of concentration camps to the German citizenry who lived nearby, forcing them to reconcile the inhumanity. If only there were a way to do the same thing to these bystanders without causing more trauma to the victim.

# 5 Phydeau said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:05 am

#2 Thanks, JohnT. It wouldn’t be a Dvorak blog entry without a contribution from the witless wingnuts.

# 6 Mike said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:14 am

I think this is a good argument of how our culture is becoming more and more desensitized.

This kind of stuff happens all the time in movies, and what do you do at the movies…you do nothing, you sit and watch.

Now, obviously for people old enough to know the difference between real life and entertainment there won’t be as much effect, but for young (impressionable) kids who have been brought up being constantly bombarded with violence and the likes, you’ve got to wonder what effect it has on them.

And if this is the case, the trend will only continue to get worse until parents take more responsibility for what and how much their children are viewing.

# 7 StoopidFlanders said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:19 am

It’s the government’s responsibility to keep our kids safe, not the people’s. Your suggestions that a mere citizen could actually do anything to help are preposterous. Remember children: if you’re being raped, just dial 911 and wait for the authorities to take care of you.

# 8 Angus said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:23 am

#3, um, usually not with 15 people around watching. That’s been a rare event since the abolition of Primae Noctis.

# 9 Mr. Fusion said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:24 am

#7, Stoopid,

Yes, as Phydeau in #5 put it,

“It wouldn’t be a Dvorak blog entry without a contribution from the witless wingnuts.”

Thanks for playing the game, loser.

# 10 jobs said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:24 am

#1 This stuff happens all over the world. Many websites have been taken down that have posted recordings of rapes and beatings. Germany, Russia and Japan seem to be the source most often.

# 11 cornholer said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:27 am

I wonder if this was rape or “rape-rape”?

# 12 Luc said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:27 am

Those assholes are going to be very popular in prison.

# 13 Improbus said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:28 am

I am surprised they didn’t record it in HD and post it on the Internet.

# 14 Brian said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:32 am

you should be pointing the finger at porn. people probably couldn’t tell the difference between watching some easily-found group orgy video online and seeing it in person. heck, half the guys probably wanted to see something like that in real life and were totally oblivious to any struggles or screaming going on because they figured it was some kind of act.
and they should still all be culpable.

# 15 StoopidFlanders said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:37 am

9. Thanks for your insightful regurgitation, it really put me in my place. All in all this is just another example of why you should get your kids the hell out of government schools.

# 16 Improbus said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:40 am

@Brian

Actually, porn reduces sex crimes. Don’t let that stop you from moralizing though.

# 17 StoopidFlanders said, on October 27th, 2009 at 10:46 am

How many of the government school bureaucrats will lose their jobs for failing to protect the children? Should I take a guess?

# 18 cornholer said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:03 am

Ill bet the suspects where knee-grows and wetbacks.

# 19 DWY said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:09 am

Another example of the failure of “the wisdom of crowds” argument I keep hearing…sheez.

# 20 zorkor said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:17 am

sick bastards……

# 21 StoopidFlanders said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:21 am

Fifteen against one: This is a prime example of true democracy in action.

# 22 Benjamin said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am

This was wrong on so many levels. If you see a fifteen year old girl who is passed out drunk in the court yard of a school that does not give you an excuse to rape her. If you see someone raping her, it does not give you an excuse to stop and watch, not does it give you an excuse to take your turn when they first guy stops raping her.

The people who stood around “watching” are no less guilty of the rape than those who actually raped the fifteen year old. Whoever provided her with alcohol should be punished for providing her with alcohol. The bystanders should at least be charged as an accessory.

If the level of depravity has reached this point in the United States, then there may be no point in fighting off the terrorists.

# 23 The Monster's Lawyer said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:31 am

#17 – A school sanctioned activity (prom)? You bet your ass.

# 24 Benjamin said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:36 am

#23 – It was homecoming, not prom; but that is beside the point.

# 25 Peggusus said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am

There are no moral constraints. No sense of shame. There are only legal limits and sanctions dispensed depending on income and influence. Everybody is doing it. Drunk maiden, soldier or stockholder, get yours while you can.

# 26 The Monster's Lawyer said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:52 am

Thanks for the correction Ben. I believe Stoopid-F was heading down the path that resolves school officials from any culpability. If you can’t feel secure in sending your 15 year old to a school dance then who’s fault is it?

# 27 StoopidFlanders said, on October 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm

26. I have addressed your concerns in 7. Tongue in cheek, of course.

# 28 Benjamin said, on October 27th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

#26, To be fair, the girl left the dance and went to drink in a remote part of the school court yard. The school officials were watching the kids at the dance. Still, they should be keeping people from congregating in an unlit area of the school courtyard.

I want to keep the blame centered on the rapists, the bystanders, and the one who gave her alcohol in that order. School officials would fall after those people.

# 29 StoopidFlanders said, on October 27th, 2009 at 12:14 pm

How in the world did underage kids come to possess alcohol? I thought the government had laws to protect them from that. Are you implying that all those countless tomes of regulations did nothing to prevent this tragedy?

# 30 The Monster's Lawyer said, on October 27th, 2009 at 12:19 pm

#28 Ben – The incident sounds like it built up over a period of time. For this to happen to the length of time it did means that whoever was responsible for the students welfare had their backs turned. Fear? Incompetence? Disinterest? All failures.
I’m not saying that your order of precedence is wrong. I’m just saying that although the school officials are at the end of your list they are no less responsible.

# 31 spsffan said, on October 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm

The whole thing is just so sickening on so many levels that I’m at a loss for further words.

# 32 HeBeGeBe said, on October 27th, 2009 at 1:33 pm

This is just another example of very poor parenting. I also suspect they are (liberal) DEMOCRATS!

# 33 Floyd said, on October 27th, 2009 at 2:18 pm

#29: Underage drinkers usually get alcohol from someone’s parents.

It sure happened when I was in high school in the mid-60s, and all too often the kids got away with it, with or without their parents’ help.

In Europe, alcohol isn’t a forbidden fruit for teens. Wine and beer are often served to teens with meals at home or in restaurants.

# 34 JimR said, on October 27th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

Cut off his nuts.

# 35 The Ender said, on October 27th, 2009 at 2:36 pm

Fear is why this wasn’t stopped. Something our Country needs less of.

# 36 Dallas said, on October 27th, 2009 at 2:55 pm

Awful. The rapist may have maybe 25 years in prison to think about what they did.

# 37 canucklehead said, on October 27th, 2009 at 3:22 pm

mob mentality at it’s worst

# 38 beentheredonethat said, on October 27th, 2009 at 3:36 pm

Could easily have been fear that made them not call the cops, but they didn’t have to stay and watch.

Think fear wouldn’t keep people from calling under a PC police state? I reported a mugging and beating in London last year, and when I clinically described the attacker as “a thin black man, wearing a blue jacket” I was told my statement was racist and I was in danger of being arrested. I was told to re-describe the attacker in “non-racist, non-offensive terms” and had to choose “Asian, African, or Caribbean”. So I said I must have been mistaken and got my ass out of there. I’ll never report a crime in the UK or in California.

# 39 honeyman said, on October 27th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Unfortunately this is not just an American problem. What do you do with these stupid damn kids? Utterly despicable.

# 40 Gonster said, on October 27th, 2009 at 5:35 pm

#21 – StoopidFlanders said,

“Fifteen against one: This is a prime example of true democracy in action.”

So she was just “out-voted”?

Welcome to the Decline and Fall of Western Civilization.

In Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, the main character was also 15 years old.

Enjoy the ride!

# 41 Angel H. Wong said, on October 27th, 2009 at 5:40 pm

It’s Obama’s fault because.. Because.. Because.. Look behind you! Someone’s treating a sick wetback for free! *runs away*

# 42 yanikinwaoz said, on October 27th, 2009 at 5:49 pm

For those not from northern Cal, Richmond is a pretty bad area. Well known for crime, drugs, and all sorts of problems. It is a ghetto hell hole in some places.

My gut tells me that gang retaliation is a factor here. If one or more gang bangers were involved, or suspected of being involved, then these observers were probably too scared to report them. After all, in Richmond, ratting out the local drug dealers could easily get you murdered.

# 43 Greg Allen said, on October 27th, 2009 at 6:14 pm

School kids almost never, ever tell on each other.. even the “good” kids.

I think it has something to do with moral development at that age, rather than some larger problem with society.

Admittedly this is an extreme case and other factors may be at play. Still, I think it would be a mistake to assume that the kids who didn’t tell where all moral reprobates.

# 44 Faxon said, on October 27th, 2009 at 8:34 pm

Richmond is the only city that is worse than Oakland.

# 45 Faxon said, on October 27th, 2009 at 8:36 pm

The only reason school officials should be blamed is that they held a dance for this monsters. Granted, not ALL the punks at Richmond High School are monsters, just the majority….

# 46 Ralph, the Bus Driver said, on October 28th, 2009 at 1:30 am

So now we know where Faxon attends school.

# 47 zammie said, on October 28th, 2009 at 2:31 am

Dont bring in morals.
Salem Witch Trials?
Trail of Tears?
Slavery?
American has never had the best track record with Morals.

I wonder how all those kid’s parents feel. Maybe they should be jailed, too.

# 48 Toxic Asshead said, on October 28th, 2009 at 3:40 am

Observing how CA operates, the rapists will all be in the legislature or Congress in about 10 years.

# 49 Benjamin said, on October 28th, 2009 at 6:35 am

The first rapist they caught was 19 and not even a student at the school.

# 50 Benjamin said, on October 28th, 2009 at 10:54 am

Looks like they caught 4 more.

# 51 rudedawg said, on October 28th, 2009 at 3:06 pm

If I had come across this, there would be several parents mourning the deaths of their punk-assed kids that died that night from a gunshot in the head.

# 52 The Truth said, on October 29th, 2009 at 8:51 am

It was not Knee-grows so please do not add racism to an already terrible event. That is part of the problem everyone is so hateful. Lets teach the youth how to respectful and considered of all regardless of gender,race, etc.

# 18 cornholer said, on October 27th, 2009 at 11:03 am

Ill bet the suspects where knee-grows and wetback

# 53 keen30 said, on October 29th, 2009 at 11:14 am

This is truly a horrible horrible story I hope everyone involved is punished as harshly as possible. Justice is demanded.

# 54 laterthannoow said, on October 29th, 2009 at 11:42 am

this is so sad, I feel for the poor girl. What would you do if your teenager came home and said they were watching it happen and did nothing? what about when they told you they joined in the raping?

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