What happened on a Belleville West High School bus yesterday?”
BELLEVILLE — A Belleville police spokesman now says an incident where a white student was beaten by teen black assailants on a bus “may not be racially motivated.” “It was premature on my part,” said Belleville Police Capt. Don Sax. “It was my personal and emotional comment after only seeing the video briefly.” Sax said police interviewed the 17-year-old Belleville West High student. However, he said he was unaware of what the student told police. Some of the students on the bus yesterday during the incident cheered the beating, the video shows. Sax said a formal statement would be made available later today. “After having reviewed the video, it doesn’t strike me nearly as racially motivated,” Sax said. The about-face came this morning as the story made national headlines. Although, Sax said it was purely his review of the video that changed his mind. Belleville has had a long history of racial turmoil, with a past that includes police harassment of black motorists, cross burnings and
This video frame grab shows one student attacking another while on a bus ride to school at Belleville West High School on Monday. Editor’s note: The underage victim’s face has been blurred to protect his identity. Video Courtesy of Belleville Police Department ( Belleville Police Department ) By Leah Thorsen and Nicholas J.C. Pistor ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 09/15/2009 UPDATED, 11:35 a.m. with police captain backtracking on whether attack was racially motivated. MORE ILLINOIS NEWS bullet See the video of the attack on the bus bullet See stories, columns, photos and more about Illinois news bullet Read Pat Gauen’s columns about Illinois bullet Get our Crime Beat breaking crime news from St. Clair County bullet Get our Crime Beat breaking crime news from Madison County bullet Get our Crime Beat breaking crime news from Monroe County BELLEVILLE — A Belleville police spokesman now says an incident where a white student was beaten by teen black assailants on a bus “may not be racially motiva
A Belleville police spokesman now says an incident where a white student was beaten by teen black assailants on a bus “may not be racially motivated.” “It was premature on my part,” said Belleville Police Capt. Don Sax. “It was my personal and emotional comment after only seeing the video briefly.” Sax said police interviewed the 17-year-old Belleville West High student. However, he said he was unaware of what the student told police.
