Iowa Boy Has Arm Broken Because of Color of His Shirt

This story makes me wonder what is going on in this world? Unfortunately, I think that way fairly often these days.

According to his family, the boy was leaving Des Moines East High School Monday afternoon at around 1:40, wearing a red shirt. The boy and his friend kept walking, despite hearing four others hollering at them.

According to a police report, the two were then intercepted by four boys in an alley off of East 15th Street. Two of the four reportedly said, "F*** Bloods" and told the boy in the red shirt to apologize for wearing it and to get on his knees. The 17-year-old refused to drop to his knees but did say he would apologize. It was then that two of the four boys began attacking the unnamed teen. When he fell to the ground, the boy said he used his right arm to break the fall. Police said they believed the arm was broken.

"F*** Bloods?" Sgt. Paul Parizek, a spokesman for the Des Moines police department told the Des Moines Register, "That comment does indicate that the suspect may have been motivated by gang membership."

A Facebook post from a woman who says she is the injured teen's aunt says the arm was broken in two places and was repaired with a surgery that required 16 pins and two plates. She also says five teens watched the attack, and that one of them videotaped it. She's asking for the public's help if anyone saw the confrontation in Des Moines.

Iowa's capital city has seen 23 murders this year. Earlier today, a man was charged with First Degree Arson and First Degree Murder after his stepson died from injuries sustained in a vehicle fire in Des Moines on Sunday.

[via Des Moines Register, WHO,  and Facebook]