How do kids lose their bearings like this?

[SteelBlue]

This case is the big news here in town. Three teens who killed a well liked homeless man for sport. Reading the article I wonder how many young men are walking around with these same morals? It really is frightening to think that more and more young people seem to regard "bums" as something less than human.

The report says that Sanchez and Thompson, along with 16-year-old Jared Cory Voss, were at a fast-food restaurant April 18, where they hatched a plan to "kick a bum's ass."

From there, the report said, they walked to a wooded greenbelt area near the old Masonic Lodge in Redding to look for transients. It was there, the police report says, that they encountered Alcorn, who asked them if they had any cigarettes...

...The report also said that Thompson told police that Sanchez walked up behind Alcorn and struck him twice with the wooden table leg.

Sanchez...told police that he struck Alcorn in the head at least once with the table leg, while Thompson and Voss also hit the homeless man at least once in the face and once on the side of the head.

He told police he grabbed the metal bar from Thompson after the wooden table leg broke and then began hitting Alcorn with it.

"Sanchez said that the bar eventually broke after hitting him three times with it," the police report said.

Sanchez told police he then grabbed the other metal bar that Voss had been using and continued to hit Alcorn on the left side of his head.

"He said he hit him about three more times for a total of about seven times," the report said. But the report also said that Voss told police that Sanchez struck Alcorn in the head about 10 to 15 times.

Sanchez, who told police that the blows to Alcorn's head rendered the bloodied homeless man unconscious, said they then took Alcorn's wallet, which did not contain any money, and his beer.

Sanchez said he dragged Alcorn by the ankles and put him under a nearby bush where he covered his face with a jacket, the police report said.

[RobinFinderson]

They probably learn it at church.

[RC Vikings]

Disturbing

"It felt good," 18-year-old murder suspect Albert Curtis Sanchez of Redding reportedly told investigators and his girlfriend of the beating, saying he couldn't stop himself and that he was 90 percent sure he had killed 48-year-old Timothy Lee Alcorn.

Video games and shows like "Jackass" maybe?

[JohnnyLingo]

Disturbing

"It felt good," 18-year-old murder suspect Albert Curtis Sanchez of Redding reportedly told investigators and his girlfriend of the beating, saying he couldn't stop himself and that he was 90 percent sure he had killed 48-year-old Timothy Lee Alcorn.

Video games and shows like "Jackass" maybe?

Sure thing, Jack Thompson.

I don't know what causes kids to turn out like this, but I'll all for locking them up for the rest of their lives. I don't care if the one kid is a minor.

[RC Vikings]

Sure thing, Jack Thompson.

Sorry to hit you where it hurts. Now get your ass off the couch and go outside and do something.

[UtahDan]

I knew kids in high school who would welcome the opportunity to kill someone. It was nothing more than a fear of consequences that prevented it.

After some of the abuses in recent years I'm not sure I still feel this way, but I remember at the time hoping they would join the military and learn to channel those impulses.

There have always been killers in society and there always will be. There is no "nowadays" about it, IMO. Some times and places in history value and reward that and others don't. Some of histories greatest or most infamous characters were men who simply enjoyed slaughter and were good at it. They are still around. In fact, based on shear numbers, there are more than ever. Sorry to have such a dim view, but these kinds of people exist in every gene pool IMO.

[DU Ute]

After some of the abuses in recent years I'm not sure I still feel this way, but I remember at the time hoping they would join the military and learn to channel those impulses.

When I was in the army I noticed for the first time that there are people like this out there. I remember during bayonet training realizing that there were some guys there who had signed up for this for the chance to kill another human being without repercussion. They seemed excited at the prospect of doing it up close and personal rather than with the distance and detachment that comes with modern weapons. Kind of an eye opener for me.

[JohnnyLingo]

Some times and places in history value and reward that and others don't. Some of histories greatest or most infamous characters were men who simply enjoyed slaughter and were good at it.

That's an interesting thought... I hadn't ever made that connection before. Alexander the Great would be put on trial for war crimes if he lived today.

And re: video games... I do believe that video games can do some damage through desensitizing kids to the idea of killing another person. I do not believe, however, that video games can turn kids into actual murderers. If that were the case, we'd see a lot more incidents like this, as millions of minors have played games like GTA and Mortal Kombat.

[SteelBlue]

There have always been killers in society and there always will be. There is no "nowadays" about it, IMO. Some times and places in history value and reward that and others don't. Some of histories greatest or most infamous characters were men who simply enjoyed slaughter and were good at it. They are still around. In fact, based on shear numbers, there are more than ever. Sorry to have such a dim view, but these kinds of people exist in every gene pool IMO.

I don't disagree with anything you've said here except that I do think there is a "nowadays" aspect when it comes to the homeless. Perhaps it's only noticeable now because it gets uploaded to youtube and because dvd's are sold but there seems to be a relatively recent dehumanization of the homeless that has increased the frequency of these crimes. Remember, this incident started with 3 teens just wanting to "kick a bum's ass". I think they became killers somewhat unexpectedly at first. It didn't seem to bother them too much though as they robbed another homeless man the next day.

[UtahDan]

I don't disagree with anything you've said here except that I do think there is a "nowadays" aspect when it comes to the homeless. Perhaps it's only noticeable now because it gets uploaded to youtube and because dvd's are sold but there seems to be a relatively recent dehumanization of the homeless that has increased the frequency of these crimes. Remember, this incident started with 3 teens just wanting to "kick a bum's ass". I think they became killers somewhat unexpectedly at first. It didn't seem to bother them too much though as they robbed another homeless man the next day.

Maybe. Seems to me like people have been killing homeless and prostitutes and other "undesirables" forever. You could be right that the whole "bum fights" phenomenon put this into their heads, though. I'm not sure homeless have ever been much valued and think I could construct an argument that they are valued more now than ever.

[TripletDaddy]

Mistreating the destitute simply for entertainment's sake? I don't get it.

It has a very Clockwork Orange vibe to it. Ultraviolence. Kubrick must have seen the future because most of the stuff that Alex and his droogs did in that book are commonplace things these days (maybe not the acid-laced milk).

[SteelBlue]

Happened again this week. Not a murder but a random beating of a homeless man by 3 teens.

Smerber says he was asleep outside on a discarded mattress Saturday night in south Redding when he was awakened by at least three people attacking him. One of them kicked him in the head.

"I had put my glasses in my hat, like I always do," Smerber said. "My eyes are pretty bad."

Smerber said he got up and tried to follow them, but he passed out mid-run, his head hurt so bad.

[RobinFinderson]

When I was a teenager we did a LOT of property damage for fun. We never hurt people physically, but I eventually became aware of the psychological trauma this had on our victims, and I still feel really terrible. I didn't see the connection between our random acts of vandalism and people's sense of safety and security in the world. After all, if someone repeatedly runs over your mailbox week after week who is to say they won't come gunning for you some day? Bad stuff, and I am ashamed that I couldn't see the big picture of what were were doing at the time.

That is the thing about these kids... I don't think they see the big picture. They get into a little bubble of friends and get whipped up into a little feedback loop that encourages anti-social behavior, and they don't see the big picture. Given a little distance and perspective I think most of them will come to revile these acts.

So I don't know... I think I have probably been in the mental space that allows this kind of behavior (albeit against property and not people), and I have no idea how to get kids to not go to that place. What is it? I don't know. My parents were pretty absentee, and we did a lot of self-raising. Maybe that will make a difference in Little Robin's life and he will avoid making some of my mistakes. I sure hope so.

[SteelBlue]

That is the thing about these kids... I don't think they see the big picture. They get into a little bubble of friends and get whipped up into a little feedback loop that encourages anti-social behavior, and they don't see the big picture. Given a little distance and perspective I think most of them will come to revile these acts.

I think I agree with you here. I don't think these kids go in thinking "I'm going to kill a bum" but I think when you get a group of the wrong kind of kids together it can become a murder all too easily. My guess is they never imagined they'd be sitting where they are today with their lives ruined forever and an innocent man's blood on their hands. I have a feeling they're regretting these acts already.

[Tim]

They probably learn it at church.

Oh, shut up! Save your passive-aggressive say-no-to-religion garbage for The Foyer. There's a time and a place, man!

(Please don't remove me from your friends list, friend.)