Bystanders ignore hit and run victim

claireshm

Not sure if this has been posted or not, pretty shocking stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s4zAh3-HEE

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqGRh64w4ht0uD4WkpUHhrLBN5QQD9143P0G5

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Police released chilling surveillance video of a hit-and-run accident in hopes of catching the unidentified driver who ran down a 78-year-old pedestrian, paralyzing him, and to show the callousness of bystanders who did nothing to help.

The gripping one-minute video shows the violent May 30 accident and bystanders' apparent lack of sympathy. No one rushes to Angel Arce Torres' aid, and no one bothers to stop traffic as Torres lays motionless in the street.

In the video, released by police Wednesday, Torres walks in the two-way street at 5:45 p.m. after buying milk at a local grocery. He is struck by a dark Honda that was chasing a tan Toyota. Both cars dart down a side street as Torres crumples to the pavement.

Several cars pass Torres as a few people stare from the sidewalk. Some approach Torres, but most stay put until a police cruiser responding to an unrelated call arrives on the scene.

Police suggested the video shows a city that has lost its moral compass.

"At the end of the day we've got to look at ourselves and understand that our moral values have now changed." Police Chief Daryl Roberts said. "We have no regard for each other."

Torres is paralyzed and remains in critical condition in Hartford Hospital.

His son, Angel Arce, begged the public for help.

"My father is fighting for his life," Arce said. "I would like the public right now to help us in identifying the car and the person that did this."

Robert Luna, who works at a nearby store, blamed witnesses for failing to help Torres. "It took too long to call police," he said Thursday. "Nobody did nothing."

Witness Bryant Hayre said he didn't feel comfortable helping Torres, who he said was bleeding and conscious.

"Whoever did this should be sent away for a long time," Hayre told The Hartford Courant. "It was as if he was a dog left in the street to die."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s4zAh3-HEE

AckwelFoley

I believe Its illegal in france to not come to someones aid like in that situation

Rb

That's f*cked up.

Guy:Incognito

Someone needs to lok up the definition of "ignore". From what I can see, people went over. Few people (body language) look like they were in shock. Not many people want to look at what they probably thought was a dead body.

CrazyTalk

snyper wrote: »

I believe Its illegal in france to not come to someones aid like in that situation

It should be illegal everywhere.

Karoma

Stekelly wrote: »

Someone needs to lok up the definition of "ignore". From what I can see, people went over. Few people (body language) look like they were in shock. Not many people want to look at what they probably thought was a dead body.

Aye; more an example of the all too common Genovese Syndrome.

Mossy Monk

Stekelly wrote: »

Someone needs to lok up the definition of "ignore". From what I can see, people went over. Few people (body language) look like they were in shock. Not many people want to look at what they probably thought was a dead body.

+1
You can see people walking around with their hands to their heads and so on

Dudess

In situations like that, thoughts of "ah shur someone else is helping them, I'll only be interfering" could easily go through one's mind.

SUNGOD

Stekelly wrote: »

Someone needs to lok up the definition of "ignore". From what I can see, people went over. Few people (body language) look like they were in shock. Not many people want to look at what they probably thought was a dead body.

fair enough ,but that doesnt take away from the fact no one rang 911, no one checked to see if he was alive, dead,breathing, or choking . he could have choked on his tongue whilst everyone is walking around with there hands on there head in shock. put yourself in his families place looking at the footage. its easy for me to say this cos i was not in that position but for gods sake at least stop the traffic so he is not run over by another car

Thats horrible. It's sickening seeing the cars just swerve out of the way and do nothing. A 1:04 does the guy closest take out a camera phone?

tech77

Shocking but not surprising..
Would really like to think otherwise but i think it's just more evidence that deep down people are a$$holes. :cool:
In this case particularly inept a$$holes.

leninbenjamin

that is quite possibly the most disturbing video i have ever seen. some guy just circles him on his moped and drives off again... mental.

right, that's me decided. i'm off to live the rest of my life as a hermit. **** humanity...

Thrill

From looking at the video, there's less than 60 seconds between the time the guy hits the ground to when people are standing next to him. Almost every single person who appears on the footpath stops and looks for a short while before venturing out onto the road. Its not as if they callously continued on their way after they saw the guy on the ground.

I'm sure if someone with medical knowledge had been around they would have tried to do something, though I've always heard you shouldn't move an accident victim for fear of doing more damage by moving them.

The guy gets hit at 0:15 and the first person to step off the footpath is at 0:54, that's 39 seconds.

Allowing for shock and confusion, that hardly describes a "city that has lost its moral compass"

Kazobel

God that's horrible, that poor man :eek:

Voodu Child

Thats pretty f*cked up alright. Although, fwiw, the reports of nobody ringing 911 are untrue afaik, there were something like 5 calls made at the time.

Thrill

If you watch the guy who appears on the screen(bottom left) at 0:29, it looks to me like he pulls a mobile from his pocket, dials, and then brings the phone to his ear.

The statements by the police were OTT in my opinion. The press report wasn't much better.


.

Overheal

I think it comes down to the way we've learned to become idle observers, through the internet and television. Kids will sit in the cinema and shout NO DONT GO IN THERE but by the time youre a teen youve grown apathetic.

flanum

meh
the first few cars narrowly avoided him because they probably didnt see him and the reaction of the crowd was fairly quick id say, nobody was foolish enough to try to move him, and for all we know he could have been groaning etc, showing signs of life. I think its a bit over-reaction for a piece of cctv, it would be better if we could read the eyewitness's statements.

incidently the sons name angel arce!! (sorry couldnt let it slip by)!

Carrigart Exile

Welcome to the society that ambulance chasing lawyers have created where people are too scared of litigation to get involved

Sherifu

The least someone could have done was stay with him and call an ambulance.

angelfire9

I have to say there are a couple of obvious things I would have done here, first priority would be to get the traffic stopped so he didn't get hit again (also provides safety for any first aiders!)
Second thing to do was call 911, the priority is to ensure the safety of the injured party, calling the cops is always No. 2 in my book
Then, I'd have gone over to him, checked if he was alive, never ever move a person in this situation you don't know what damage it could cause, put a blanket or coat over him to keep him warm (this is no matter the weather conditions as a person in shock can loose heat fast)
If he's alive, i'd talk to him, tell him help is on the way and stay with him til ambulance/cops arrive
I would have thought this is basic common sense???

Thrill

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,363493,00.html

"We have no regard for each other," said Chief Daryl Roberts, who on Wednesday released the video in hopes of making an arrest in the accident that left Angel Arce Torres in critical condition.
However, Roberts and other city officials backtracked on Thursday. After initially saying he was unsure whether anyone called 911, he and other city officials appeared at a news conference in which they said that four people dialed 911 within a minute of the accident, and that Torres received medical attention shortly after that.
City Council President Calixto Torres said viewers of the 1 1/2-minute videotape might mistakenly believe that no one helped.
"I think this moved too quickly," he said. "I think it moved too quick and we were putting information out that was incomplete. What I think was missing is the fact that this happened in a very short period of time."

NaiveMelodies

wat the ****

angelfire9

Sherifu wrote: »

The least someone could have done was stay with him and call an ambulance.

Mr.S wrote: »

are we meant to ignore the small crowd of people on the right or something? :rolleyes:
from what i can see, they saw what happened, and called the ambulance, what more do you want? Personally, i wound't want to go over to a person i thought was dead, i dont know anything, medically, so i would be no help at all, calling an ambulance and waiting for them to come would be what most people would do imo.
what a stupid article.

If he was dead the decent thing would be to cover him
If he was alive to talk to him until the ambulance arrived
I don't get the "I wouldn't go over in case he was dead" train of thought, everybody dies at some point I don't see the problem?

Gone West

If anyone is interested, Sigmund Freud's Crowd behavior theory is a good read, related to this.
Afterwards, google "Genovese Syndrome" or the "bystander effect", widely regarded (although often argued against) that tries to explain this diffused responsibility due to Pluralistic ignorance.

Wait, is this AH? eh YORE MA!

flanum

anybody know if the chap is alive or what?

posted via pigeon