October 28, 2009 12:47 PM

Richmond High School Gang Rape: Three More Arrests in Homecoming Attack

By
Sammy Rose Saltzman
Topics
Daily Blotter
(AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Photo: Picnic area at Richmond High School in Richmond, Calif. where police said a 15-year-old girl was raped while a crowd watched Saturday night, Oct. 24, 2009.

NEW YORK Three more arrests have been made in connection with the alleged gang rape and beating of a 15-year-old girl outside a northern California high school homecoming dance.

There have now been a total of five arrests made in the brutal attack, which occurred Saturday, Oct. 24 at Richmond High School. The latest arrests include two boys ages 16 and 17, and 21-year-old Salvador Rodriguez, according to the San Jose Mercury.

(AP Photo/Richmond Police Department)
Booking Photo: Manual Ortega, 19, was arrested last Friday.

Police say as many as 10 people ranging in age from 15 to the mid-20s attacked the girl for more than two hours at a dimly lit area near benches Saturday night. As many as two dozen people supposedly saw the rape without notifying police.

On Friday, Manuel Ortega, 19, was arrested at the scene and was being held on $800,000 bail for investigation of rape and robbery. He is not a student at the school. A second arrest was made late Monday. A 15-year-old student was booked on one count of sexual assault.

Police say the victim had left the dance and was drinking alcohol in a school courtyard with a group when she was attacked.

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
October 27, 2009 - Richmond High School Gang-Rape in California: Others Watched and Did Nothing, Say Cops

Add a Comment
by financewhiz November 6, 2009 7:37 PM EST
This is to "NotTheOnly1." Let me say, there are a lot of us out there, that have been victims too & I am so very, very sorry for your losses & that you lost your baby as well. God loves you very much & I know you don't think you were lucky, but you were! You survived & were not dumped in a ditch somewhere, like a lot of the unlucky ones were. God has a plan for you, whether you know it or not. Maybe it is to give comfort to other victims, like you so generously did in your comment here and maybe your kindness will help you heal. God Bless You & the other girl that had to endure this too. I was raped, beaten & left for dead for 2 days before someone found me. I had a lot of anger & hate & then I channeled all of that negative energy into trying to help other people. It worked & it took my mind off of hating myself. Victims always blame themselves, but give yourself a break... you deserve it!
Reply to this comment
by pws54 November 5, 2009 5:43 PM EST
Say what you want about gun owners, but in Texas, we have the right to use deadly force in a situation like this. One right I would gladly exercise on these scumbags!
Reply to this comment
by notheonly1 October 30, 2009 3:51 AM EDT
1st off you are in my prayer to the nameless victim.... it's been
10 years 1 months 13 days since I was gang raped and i never talked about it to anyone outside my family til i read about this story. I was 19yrs and 8mos pregnant i was at a party as well not drinking alcohol but was a victim of the date rape pill. the guys who rape me party crasher too it was at the Sahara Casino Hotel busy place lots of people and no seen 6 guys and 1 girl carry out a passed out pregnant woman. At that moment my life was never the same. the thing about raped victim's we know we remember smells, touch, voices, scars, and faces. 5 guys actually raped me 1 guy watched and the young lady was force to listen and watch the raped. Like nameless victim my raped was over 3 hours I was beaten til i passed out when i came to it was a new face new smell then beaten til passed out again, i just wanted to died i wanted it to stop my voice was gone couldn't scream for help my body was weak i just wanted it to be over. when it came to a end i lost my baby and my mind my case was never taken before a Judge so I'm behind you and your family i hope you get Justice so you can have peace and your life back because I'm 29 now and still lost so i feel if you watch you raped her too! she will remember everything about that night all involved will come to light, and kids are weak so someone will crack and give up names just for the money so stay strong Nameless Victim
Reply to this comment
by careifucan October 29, 2009 1:15 PM EDT
What is most up setting to me is the fact that this young lady was
drinking alcohol and it is put in the story as though it is partly
her fault because she was drinking alcohol after all. This is one of
the most horrible stories I have heard in years I hope she will re-
cover from what happened in time but parents if your kids were there
and watched and did nothing they need help, this is not normal. What
kind of country are we becoming anyway.
Reply to this comment
by prof_s October 29, 2009 7:23 AM EDT
When I was thinking of moving back to the states several years ago I asked my sister which of the schools in the area were better. She said the best schools have full time police patrolling, the good schools have private security while the worst schools have no security at all. The friend of the Richmond rape victim stated, "I felt extremely unsafe and so did she, due to the lack of police officers and security officers." What kind of country has America become when our schools are inherently unsafe, and are rated by the level of security guarding its students? If this were an exception one might look the other way but, violence in all levels of our society is a reality not found in other western countries. This isn't a crime as much as it's a national tragedy which those living in the middle of the forest can't truly appreciate.
Reply to this comment
by Constitionalist October 29, 2009 12:54 PM EDT
Your friends' logic is quite flawed. If the school were a good one it would not need a police presence. Officers are assigned based on need for their presence, which is determined by past trends at each location as well as things such as gang activity. Thus, a school with less police on site is inherently safer.
.
Latest CBS News Headlines Popular CBS News Stories
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News

Follow Crimesider

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
48 Hours New iPad app A perfect companion to TV's most popular true-crime series.
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...