Irish student fights for life in US after baseball bat attack

Rented Mule

'That was just a sick crime. Our detectives are taking this one personally. This was just a horrendous act of violence'

AN Irish university student remains critical but stable, after sustaining head injuries during an assault in Chicago at the weekend.

The parents of Natasha McShane (23), a postgraduate student from University College Dublin, who was studying at the University of Illinois in Chicago, arrived in the US city yesterday to be at their daughter's bedside.

Ms McShane from Silverbridge in south Armagh, was with a friend, Stacy Jurich (24), when they were attacked by a man with an aluminium baseball bat, at 3.30am on Friday.


I know this area very well, and it is a rather 'upscale' (for lack of a better word) area. The American woman who was assaulted along with McShane is the cousin of a friend that I work with.

It sounds like Ms. McShane is not doing very well at the moment from speaking with the other woman's family.

Bonito

Heard this on the radio over the weekend. Hopefully she pulls through.

WIZE

Hope they get well soon .

My thoughts are with their families

Overheal

Thats fcuking horrible. Who roams around with a Bat anyway???

I wouldn't mind (personally) if the cops had to rough him up a bit to get him in cuffs.

Rented Mule

Overheal wrote: »

Thats fcuking horrible. Who roams around with a Bat anyway???

I wouldn't mind (personally) if the cops had to rough him up a bit to get him in cuffs.

According to the description, the ghetto trash that assaulted the two of them.

Jesus Wept

Rented Mule wrote: »

Our detectives are taking this one personally.

Wat.

podgemonster

Poor Girl, jus awful what other human beings are capable of.

Hope shes pulls threw and justice is served

Sykk

podgemonster wrote: »

jus awful what other human beings are capable of.

Is that a joke?

podgemonster

Sykk wrote: »

Is that a joke?

No, this is not something people should be joking about.

Sykk

podgemonster wrote: »

No, this is not something people should be joking about.

Read a history book or turn on the news every once in a while... This is very light in comparison to what goes on in our world.

Regardless my thoughts go out to the girl and her family.

Ruu_Old

This story is getting a lot of coverage on the news in central Illinois and other news networks. My thoughts are with the family.

amacachi

Found out yesterday she's a distant relative of mine, last I heard it wasn't looking good, hope it's changed in the last 24 hours though.

ItsAWindUp

Does anyone know if this fella was trying to mug them or something, or if he just felt like smashing them with a bat? Oh well, only in America as they say...

Rented Mule

Ruu wrote: »

This story is getting a lot of coverage on the news in central Illinois and other news networks. My thoughts are with the family.

This was a full page story on the front Page of the Chicago Sun Times on Saturday.

podgemonster

Sykk wrote: »

Read a history book or turn on the news every once in a while... This is very light in comparison to what goes on in our world.

This is news and it involves an young irish girl viciously attacked so excuse me for expressing my opinion.

Get off your high horse

Jay D

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

Does anyone know if this fella was trying to mug them or something, or if he just felt like smashing them with a bat? Oh well, only in America as they say...

have you not listened to any news since saturday?


And def not only in America!! Just look at the random acts of violence carried out here at a catalogue of different times.

http://bocktherobber.com/2008/02/polish-man-murdered-in-dublin

Rented Mule

podgemonster wrote: »

This is news and it involves an young irish girl viciously attacked so excuse me for expressing my opinion.

Get off your high horse

There were two young women brutally attacked, not just an Irish one.

podgemonster

Rented Mule wrote: »

There were two young women brutally attacked, not just an Irish one.

Ya your right, Apologies. Two women.

Rented Mule

podgemonster wrote: »

Ya your right, Apologies. Two women.

No worries.

Rented Mule

They just announced that two suspects have been arrested in the beating of these two women. The two arrested are a Mexican couple who were 'itching to rob someone'.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-bat-attack-20100427,0,4870309.story

Idbatterim

I hope to god those scum get the justice they deserve! Given that its America and not here, thats quite likely! I read a story, that boards has a link to about one guy in the states getting charged with 3rd degree assault and 3 months jail time for spitting in a cops burger! I hope they get charged with attempted murder or similar, which to be honest it was, hitting an unexpecting person over the head with a baseball bat repeatedly, especially 2women, is disgusting, cant wait to hear the verdict, what makes it so great is that its not Ireland, you know these scum are going to pay big time for their crime! To potentially kill or turn someone into a vegetable for the contents of their wallet, after a night out, in which cash there may be nothing at all even in it is mind blowing, its not like they were going to walk them to the nearest atm, after they were left for dead!

Overheal

Ridiculous.

Two Illinois state legislators are suggesting that the National Guard should be mobilized in Chicago to assist the Chicago Police Department’s efforts to reduce the cities violent crime, which is said to be largely gang and drug related.
John Fritchey and LaShawn Ford, both democrats, believe that armed National Guardsmen working the streets of Chicago with the police department would send a strong message to the community that there is an effort to reduce crime in Chicago.

Chicago has had 113 homicides this year as of April 27. That is a increase from 109 homicides at the same time last year.

Chicago community leaders who oppose the use of the National Guard suggest that the problem in Chicago is largely a result of a widespread distrust of the Chicago Police Department.

The police department points out that it has a much-publicized campaign encouraging Chicago citizens to offer information about violent crime. According to Maureen Miller, reporting at CNN’s AC360 blog, Joe Johns of CNN found that program resulted in 22 arrests in violence related crimes last year.

The activation of the National Guard would require Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who opposes the idea, to request that action by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

Stinicker

Overheal wrote: »

Ridiculous.

Chiacgo is the most dangerous city in the United States, my sister gave a summer there on a J1, one day (middle of the day) herself and two other girls were walking through some neighbourhood (black) and a jeep pulled up beside them and a white guy gave out stink to them for walking alone there and told them if they were to walk up around the corner they most likely end up gang raped, mugged and killed. He drove them to the cop shop up the block and dropped them off and they got a taxi from there.

Most likely that was a Racially motivated crime and I really hope the two girls pull through however walking at 3am in Chicago is like Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Rented Mule

Stinicker wrote: »

Chiacgo is the most dangerous city in the United States, my sister gave a summer there on a J1, one day (middle of the day) herself and two other girls were walking through some neighbourhood (black) and a jeep pulled up beside them and a white guy gave out stink to them for walking alone there and told them if they were to walk up around the corner they most likely end up gang raped, mugged and killed. He drove them to the cop shop up the block and dropped them off and they got a taxi from there.

Most likely that was a Racially motivated crime and I really hope the two girls pull through however walking at 3am in Chicago is like Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Portions of Chicago are extremely dangerous (if you are a couple of naive white girls wandering the ghetto), but that is the same in every major city.

El Siglo

I was in the same class as her in my undergrad (we were mixed in with the postgrad planning students). Jaysus I hope she pulls through, this is fucking terrible so it is.

Rothmans

Rented Mule wrote: »

Portions of Chicago are extremely dangerous (if you are a couple of naive white girls wandering the ghetto), but that is the same in every major city.

Not Dublin tbh

SV

Rothmans wrote: »

Not Dublin tbh

equivalent of the ghetto in dublin.

yep, still rings true

Rented Mule

Rothmans wrote: »

Not Dublin tbh

Sorry ....but Dublin doesn't rank as a 'major city' in this context.

katzenjammer

Rented Mule wrote: »

Portions of Chicago are extremely dangerous (if you are a couple of naive white girls wandering the ghetto), but that is the same in every major city.

According to some Chicago guy on the radio they were walking through quite an up-market area and this attack has shocked the locals.

Rented Mule

katzenjammer wrote: »

According to some Chicago guy on the radio they were walking through quite an up-market area and this attack has shocked the locals.

In the instance of the two women who were beaten with the baseball bats, yes, it is an upscale area.

The problem is that the two Mexicans who (allegedly) assaulted them only live a short drive away.

Regina Phalange

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0428/mcshanen.html

It would make you sick, they probably only made off with a few dollars!

Thoughts with Natasha and her family!

Nodin

Stinicker wrote: »

Most likely that was a Racially motivated crime ....

Tell me, Caped One, what have your powers revealed that allows you to say such a thing?

Rented Mule

Regina Phalange wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0428/mcshanen.html

It would make you sick, they probably only made off with a few dollars!

Thoughts with Natasha and her family!

Spoke to the cousin of the American girl, and she only had $50 on her.

Pretty_Pistol

Stinicker wrote: »

Chiacgo is the most dangerous city in the United States, my sister gave a summer there on a J1, one day (middle of the day) herself and two other girls were walking through some neighbourhood (black) and a jeep pulled up beside them and a white guy gave out stink to them for walking alone there and told them if they were to walk up around the corner they most likely end up gang raped, mugged and killed. He drove them to the cop shop up the block and dropped them off and they got a taxi from there.

Most likely that was a Racially motivated crime and I really hope the two girls pull through however walking at 3am in Chicago is like Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Your sister was walking in a ghetto. It wasn't a smart thing to do. She should have read up on where the no go areas were. Just like in Dublin there are good and bad areas.

From my experience Chicago was the safest city I have holidayed/ lived in. I walked around late at night on my own at times and never had a problem. There are ghettos but you should know where they are if you're living there. Bucktown is not a ghetto.

I don't see it as a racial attack but an excessive force used in a mugging. Hope the girl pulls through!

Stinicker

Nodin wrote: »

Tell me, Caped One, what have your powers revealed that allows you to say such a thing?

Because we all know if a white man attacked a black or in this case a Mexican woman it would be automatically a race hate crime. FFS you really must think that every single minority are angels do you? Idiot.

Nodin

Stinicker wrote: »

Because we all know if a white man attacked a black or in this case a Mexican woman it would be automatically a race hate crime.

"We" know nothing of the sort. There'd have to be some sort of evidence pointing towards such a thing. An attack where money is taken tends to point at it being an attack where money was taken ie a mugging. If it turns out both were screaming 'death to the gringo' or had done on a previous occasion, then things must be reassessed.

Stinicker wrote: »

FFS you really must think that every single minority are angels do you? Idiot.

Hardly, nor did I say they were. Every group, almost regardless of hows it's defined, will contain a few 'bad apples'.

orourkeda

Idbatterim wrote: »

I hope to god those scum get the justice they deserve! Given that its America and not here, thats quite likely! I read a story, that boards has a link to about one guy in the states getting charged with 3rd degree assault and 3 months jail time for spitting in a cops burger! I hope they get charged with attempted murder or similar, which to be honest it was, hitting an unexpecting person over the head with a baseball bat repeatedly, especially 2women, is disgusting, cant wait to hear the verdict, what makes it so great is that its not Ireland, you know these scum are going to pay big time for their crime! To potentially kill or turn someone into a vegetable for the contents of their wallet, after a night out, in which cash there may be nothing at all even in it is mind blowing, its not like they were going to walk them to the nearest atm, after they were left for dead!

How do you know that exactly?

Or is this a crass assumption?

Idbatterim

How do you know that exactly?

Or is this a crass assumption?/QUOTE]

ofcourse its an assumption, but based on what I have seen and read on the sentences given out over there, atleast they fit the crime! they arent exactly Ireland are they?! OR are you now going to tell me the Americans have a lenient system? Maybe they have it all wrong though! lets be the Irish jury, bad background, no chance in life, poor fella, jail time wont undo the crime...

Rented Mule

http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/2214176,CST-NWS-bucktown29.article

Bail denied for man charged with beating women with bat
'COWARDLY' ATTACK | Woman led cops to suspect: prosecutor

A gang member charged with fracturing the skulls of two women with a baseball bat as they walked home in Bucktown last week was segregated from other inmates in Cook County Jail's maximum-security division Wednesday after a judge ordered him held without bail.

Heriberto Viramontes, 30, and Marcy Cruz, 25, are charged with aggravated battery and armed robbery. They are accused in the Friday baseball bat attack and robbery of two women in the 1800 block of North Damen Avenue.

Judge Adam Bourgeois refused to allow Heriberto Viramontes to be freed on bail, saying he posed too big a danger in light of the attack.

"I don't think there's any condition or set of conditions that I can impose that can protect the community from this individual," Bourgeois said.

Viramontes, 30, initially declined to be put into segregation, but jail officials insisted. It was the 17th time he had been locked up at Cook County Jail. His girlfriend, Marcy Cruz, 25, also charged in the attack, also remained in the jail. She's awaiting an initial court hearing.

Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Erin Antonietti had urged Bourgeois to deny Viramontes bail, saying he has "preyed upon two women who were unaware and unarmed and had nothing to protect themselves."


Here is the latest on the to suspects who "allegedly" assaulted these two women.

Why is everyone saying these two are Mexicans? I've read a good few articles on this and I haven't seen it ever mentioned.

El Horseboxo

Stinicker wrote: »

Because we all know if a white man attacked a black or in this case a Mexican woman it would be automatically a race hate crime. FFS you really must think that every single minority are angels do you? Idiot.

If race was involved in something like this it would be more along the lines of white people are likely to have more money. Especially in an upmarket place. A lot of minority 'gangstas' and the likes would think with that logic.

Rented Mule

[quote=[Deleted User];65647929]Why is everyone saying these two are Mexicans? I've read a good few articles on this and I haven't seen it ever mentioned.[/QUOTE]

Have you looked at the pictures and their names ? I'll go one better to say that the area that they live in is heavily Mexican as well.

Rented Mule

El Horseboxo wrote: »

If race was involved in something like this it would be more along the lines of white people are likely to have more money. Especially in an upmarket place. A lot of minority 'gangstas' and the likes would think with that logic.

This is exactly what happened. I am sure they drove by multiple people of every race imaginable before they got to this area to target these women.

They weren't attacked just because they were 'white'. They were attacked because they were 'white and most likely had money' in this neighborhood.

Orange69

I doubt this was racially motivated. But it is true that if the attacker was white and the victim any other race (particularly black or lation) it would probably be twisted as a hate crime. Its a double standard that exists and that wont be resolved until the liberal morons cop on and allow people to talk openly about race. I hope this girl gets through this without too much damage, my experience living in the US has been very positive, I fell far safer here than I ever have in Ireland.

Orange69

Rented Mule wrote: »

They weren't attacked just because they were 'white'. They were attacked because they were 'white and most likely had money' in this neighborhood.

And white people are perceived as a soft touch as we have been beaten into a quivering husk by the pc brigade.

Nodin

Orange69 wrote: »

And white people are perceived as a soft touch as we have been beaten into a quivering husk by the pc brigade.

So white folk are easier to mug because of the 'pc brigade'....Hmmmmm. That's left of field, even for AH.

Orange69

Nodin wrote: »

So white folk are easier to mug because of the 'pc brigade'....Hmmmmm. That's left of field, even for AH.

yes because if you defend yourself you are automatically a racist bigoted nazi loving right winger..

Rented Mule

Rented Mule wrote: »

Have you looked at the pictures and their names ? I'll go one better to say that the area that they live in is heavily Mexican as well.

Yes, I have. And why would I decide that they must be Mexican nationals? If they were born in the US, they're Mexican-American. And who's to say they're not of Puerto Rican origin, for example? I don't get this categorising every single person with a Spanish surname as a Mexican.

And LOL at the people suggesting that this was a hate crime. It's about 1000 times more likely that the guy thought 'white, young women walking alone = easy target'.

twinQuins

Orange69 wrote: »

yes because if you defend yourself you are automatically a racist bigoted nazi loving right winger..

I only wish you knew what irony is.

Rented Mule

[quote=[Deleted User];65648616]Yes, I have. And why would I decide that they must be Mexican nationals? If they were born in the US, they're Mexican-American. And who's to say they're not of Puerto Rican origin, for example? I don't get this categorising every single person with a Spanish surname as a Mexican.

And LOL at the people suggesting that this was a hate crime. It's about 1000 times more likely that the guy thought 'white, young women walking alone = easy target'.[/QUOTE]


I'll agree that most people will automatically jump towards throwing the word 'Mexican' around when it comes to identifying Latino people. I am basing this on the address given in the articles. Had this been a Humboldt Park address, I would have assumed that the suspects were Puerto Rican.

I am not sure if you are familiar with Chicago still has ethnic immigrant ghettos.

The other thing that you may not realise is that the people in these areas consider themselves to be Mexican first and foremost. This is not an uncommon phenomena in the States.

As far as this being a 'hate crime', I'll clarify what I said... ' this was a crime of opportunity'. The suspects drove to this area because it is more upscale. They waited for anyone who looked like they may have had money and then assaulted them for it.

At the end of the day, they only got $50 and a few credit cards.

Rented Mule

Rented Mule wrote: »

I'll agree that most people will automatically jump towards throwing the word 'Mexican' around when it comes to identifying Latino people. I am basing this on the address given in the articles. Had this been a Humboldt Park address, I would have assumed that the suspects were Puerto Rican.

I am not sure if you are familiar with Chicago still has ethnic immigrant ghettos.

The other thing that you may not realise is that the people in these areas consider themselves to be Mexican first and foremost. This is not an uncommon phenomena in the States.

As far as this being a 'hate crime', I'll clarify what I said... ' this was a crime of opportunity'. The suspects drove to this area because it is more upscale. They waited for anyone who looked like they may have had money and then assaulted them for it.

At the end of the day, they only got $50 and a few credit cards.

I do realise those things. But if they're not Mexican nationals, referring to them as 'two Mexicans' is inaccurate and unfair. And I don't think I'm being overly PC by saying that. If a guy called John O'Reilly from Woodlawn in the Bronx assaulted someone, how would people here feel if he was being referred to as an Irishman? He might consider himself Irish but most people here wouldn't, and they'd probably be annoyed that he was being associated with Ireland when he probably hasn't even set foot in the place.