Video After The JumpNY Daily News Reports
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.
A 15-year-old was also arrested and charged with one count of felony sexual assault. A third teenager was being questioned, police said.
"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.
Police said a "full-court press" was under way, including reviews of Facebook and YouTube, to find other attackers and bystanders who witnessed the rape.
"We're looking in particular to see if anyone posted any video of the incident," Gagan said.
Several other individuals were detained but not arrested, Simon 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.
Police said the girl left the dance and was walking to meet her father for a ride home when a classmate invited her to join a group drinking in the courtyard.
"Right now, we're looking at toxicology reports to determine her blood-alcohol content and to determine if she was drugged."
"This just gets worse and worse the more you dig into it," Gagan told CNN. "It was like a horror movie after looking at the evidence. I can't believe not one person felt compelled to help her."
}
Comments