Emergency room Quote by Colin Flaherty
““Deandre Felton was a good boy, his family and friends agree. He was also a leader. But on this night in September of 2012, Deandre and his crew were bored. The mall was closed, but he and his boys were high on drugs and still wanted to have fun. So Deandre came up with what was not a new idea, but fun nevertheless. They decided to beat someone up. They had just come from a local park where Deandre and fifteen others beat up two girls, sending one to the hospital with a broken arm. Then Deandre decided to blow off a little steam and play the Knockout Game. He knew the game was usually pretty safe—for the attacker, that is.1 In Meriden, Connecticut, victims aren’t likely to carry concealed weapons, nor do they fight back. As one player said in Philadelphia as his victim begged for mercy: “It’s not our fault you can’t fight.” Deandre and his crew found their victim a few minutes after leaving the mall. Soon Deandre and his confederate DeShawn Jones were peeling off from the group, heading for a guy walking home from work. Alone. We don’t know his name or race or anything about him other than he was The Wrong Guy. With their friends lurking less than one hundred yards away when Deandre and DeShawn attacked, the guy fought back. He pulled a knife. Soon Deandre was dead and DeShawn was on his way to the emergency room.””
About This Quote
Source Article: True Crime Narrative, 2015
A tragic story of youth violence, peer pressure, and the deadly consequences of reckless games.
In simple terms: Young people can make deadly choices under peer pressure.
Recognize and intervene in dangerous group dynamics.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- school counseling
- community outreach
- law enforcement training
- parental guidance
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can communities prevent similar incidents?
- What role does media play in shaping perceptions of youth violence?
The narrative may sensationalize tragedy, obscuring systemic factors.