Hate fueled weekend beating says elderly man: foxtoledo.com
Dallas Watts, 78, indicates where he was kicked during an assault that took place in East Toledo on Saturday. He said there were six boys, the youngest one 11 years old. It was six against one.
Six juveniles -- the youngest 11, and the oldest 17 -- nearly boxed in Dallas Watts, a 78-year-old man from East Toledo.
Mr. Watts was on his way home from the nearby Gas Express Mart at Starr Avenue and White Street about 4:45 p.m. Saturday when the boys approached him.
One pointed at Mr. Watts and said, "take him down," the victim recounted in an interview Monday.
Mr. Watts, carrying home two small bags of pork rinds to dole out as treats to his three dachshunds, looked at the youth and said, "Why you picking on me?" Mr. Watts recalled. "Remember Trayvon. Why you picking on me?"
The boy, again, allegedly told his friends to "take him down."
Toledo police charged two children -- the 11-year-old and a 17-year-old -- with robbery, Sgt. Roy Kennedy said.
The boys on Monday were ordered held in detention at the Lucas County Juvenile Justice Center, prosecutor Lori Olender said.
The 17-year-old also faces a felonious assault charge from an unrelated shooting, Ms. Olender said. The teen allegedly shot Mark Bolling, 24, in the 600 block of Leonard Street in East Toledo on March 18.
Mr. Watts said one of the boys delivered a single blow to the back of his head during the incident Saturday, knocking the victim to the ground.
At one point, the victim recalled being lifted from the ground so one of the boys could "drop-kick" him in the chest.
One boy, he said, put his foot on the back of the victim's neck, with another shouting, "Kill him."
While Mr. Watts was down the boys kicked him, over and over, shouting, "[Get] that white [man]. This is for Trayvon ... Trayvon lives, white [man]. Kill that white [man]," according to a police report.
The boys fled when a man shouted at them, according to the report.
Mr. Watts said it's possible the assault was retribution for the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a Neighborhood Watch captain in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26. Mr. Zimmerman has said he fired in self-defense and has not been charged with any crime.
For investigators, it's unclear whether the assault was motivated by an attempt to avenge the Martin youth's death or whether Mr. Watts' "Remember Trayvon" message was misinterpreted as threatening or racist.
"It's still up in the air who started the verbal confrontation," Sergeant Kennedy said, adding that stories given by the suspect and the victim conflict and the investigation is ongoing.
When asked about the Trayvon remarks, Mr. Watts said, "All I meant by saying 'remember Trayvon' is to remember what happened to him, don't duplicate it here," suggesting that he was minding his own business as he walked home.
"The only reason I mentioned Trayvon, that was my defense," Mr. Watts said. "Don't pick on me. I am not your enemy."
The assault occurred only a few hours after a peaceful rally, near the Thurgood Marshall Building, 420 E. Manhattan Blvd., to show support for the Martin family.
At his home Monday, Mr. Watts said he has never allowed weapons inside and that when his four children were growing up, they were not allowed to play "cops and robbers, to kill the Indians."
During the Vietnam War, Mr. Watts, who served in the military from 1950 to 1961, refused to let his boys play GI Joes.
There would be no more killing, he said.
But now, Mr. Watts says he plans to buy a gun and obtain a permit to carry it.
"What happened to me … down here on the corner, that changed my perspective on humanity," Mr. Watts said.
Contact Taylor Dungjen at: tdungjen@theblade.com, 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @tdungjen_Blade.
Replies
Yep...no matter the outcome of the Trayvon incident the 'Black' community is going to continue to be 'Up in Arms' and create excuses to Pillage, Riot, and Physically attack 'Whitey'! There is going to be nothing but 'trouble' over this. Glad I live in an all white community full of 'Bibles' and 'Guns'. Come and get us, we are waiting.
White America has been deballed a long time ago
Not this one - I say, I am ready and if any of you want trouble, just come and see me.
Typical. By the way where in the world is all the MSM ,Drudge, and Fox coverage on last weeks mass shooting of 13 people(Two Killed) at a North Miami Funeral Home. I must be dumb,deaf, and blind, because I have not detected one ounce of coverage on that relatively minor incident. A five year old girl was shot and is recovering. No Sharpton! No Jackson! No Obama. Oh! Excuse me! I forgot to tell you that it has been established that it was gang related, but I'm not sure if any whites were involved or white Hispanics for that matter. That is one core detail the MSM's must have before performing their journalistic duties. Oh! Well. 14 people shot at a Funeral Home. Happens every day. No news there!
We're in Florida and they know better and for the most part behave except in their own hood where they can get away with black on black crime. So many here just looking for a reason to empty their magazines if attacked . I just hate to see young getto kids facing the end of a gun with so much more available for them. They, of course, think they're invincible[bullet proof]. I'm just glad I haven't come across kids like this. I know that just about every veteran which are most older people, carry locked and loaded, not paranoid, just prepared for anything that threatens them, their family and, yes, even that innocent person on the street. They should pray to God Almighty that none of us were around to see this attempted! They start it, we finish it. They are no longer innocent children anymore. If they want to act like a tough adult, they will suffer the consequences by being treated like one. Now the punks that read this will think I'm only talking about blacks but this applies to everyone...even "white"Hispanics. These 6 don't know the difference anyway.
Just another reason to be armed, a savage is a savage, and this I think is just the tip of the ice-burg.
We all have a lot to worry about if odumba and his zombies are able to take away our right to arm ourselves!
I believe all PATRIOTIC AMERICANS should be allowed to protect themselves, their property and their families, and this corrupt government should keep their noses out of our affairs!
He may well be a relative; I'm from Ohio. Sergeant Toney: "Well, we can't really confirm that [there were racial comments made]..." The cops have lost their ba!!$, too.
Its Time we hold the parents accountable for the actions of their children. It does not take a VILLAGE to raise a child it takes a parent who will do the right thing and put some discipline in their lifes.
Skip, I totally agree with you on this one. If some little brat commits a crime and is below the age of 18, then let the parents serve the time. I'll bet parents would start knowing where their little sweeties are and who they hang out with. If Child Protective Services take little Johnny and he then commits a crime, then let the head of CPS put on an orange jumpsuit and help hold up the cell bars.