Posted on: May 26, 2025 07:00 AM

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Group of teens beats two girls with baseball bat in brutal attack at New York city park

The attack, captured on social media, has raised safety concerns, especially given past violence in the park.

Two teenage girls were brutally attacked earlier this month in Kissena Park, Queens, in New York City sparking outrage and calls for further investigation. The incident occurred on May 2 around 6 PM, when the victims, aged 13 and 16, were playing basketball in the park. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), a group of older teenagers, comprising four 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old, confronted the girls during their game.

The group then dragged them into a wooded area, where they used a baseball bat to repeatedly beat the girls, with disturbing footage showing the 13-year-old curled up on the ground being struck again after her shoes were forcibly removed. The 16-year-old sustained visible injuries, including large bruises on her back and a section of her hair shaved off with an electric hair clipper.

The assailants also stole the girls’ mobile phones and, in the case of the younger girl, her limited-edition Air Jordan 4 White Oreos sneakers valued at over $500. The victims, both of Chinese descent, reportedly knew their attackers, though authorities have not classified the assault as a hate crime. The motive behind the attack is under investigation.

One of the girls reportedly lost consciousness during the attack. The police have arrested five teenagers, three 17-year-old boys, a 17-year-old girl, and a 16-year-old boy, on charges including felony robbery, assault, gang assault, strangulation, harassment, weapons possession, and grand larceny.

While the case is currently being treated as a robbery due to the theft of personal items, the victims’ families are calling for a deeper investigation, describing the attack as a planned and "inhumane" act. They have expressed concern that the assault may have been motivated by factors beyond simple theft.