4 teens charged as adults in alleged Brooklyn gang rape
Four teenagers have been charged as adults in the alleged gang rape of an 18-year-old woman in a Brooklyn, N.Y. playground last week, reports CBS New York. A fifth suspect was still being sought early Tuesday.
The suspects, identified as Denzel Murray, 14, Shaquell Cooper, 15, Ethan Phillip, also 15, and Onandi Brown, 17, were all charged with rape, sex abuse, and 2 counts of a criminal sex act, police said.
Two of them were turned in by their parents while the other two were found by officers, authorities said.
Sources told CBS New York two of the suspects said the sex with the woman was consensual.
The alleged rape occurred Thursday night. Sources told CBS New York the victim had been drinking with her father deep in the park to avoid police.
The five suspects approached the woman and her father, police said. One of the teens pointed a gun at the father and insisted he leave, police said.
The father told community activists that he ran to a nearby store and asked to use a phone, but was denied permission. At the same time, police said, all five suspects took turns raping his daughter.
By the time the father flagged down patrol officers, the suspects had run off, police said.
Community leaders are demanding to know why more wasn't done to help the woman and her father.
"The store owner, he should be ashamed of himself," said John Rodriguez, of the 75th Precinct Community Council. "When this father came to him to ask him for help for his daughter, he did not allow him to call or even use his phone."
"There's a sense of responsibility to say that, 'Oh, you must be here for some reason if you're saying police,"' community activist Tony Herbert said. "A phone call should have been made."
The bodega owner said in his defense that the father didn't seem urgent or nervous and that people often come in the store asking to use the phone, CBS New York reported.
Community leaders demanded that the fifth suspect turn himself in.
"There's still one actor in this whole play that's still out there," Herbert said. "And we want him to turn himself in. Do the responsible thing. We ask that his parents, you see the video, if you recognize that to be your child, turn him in like these other parents."
Sources told CBS radio station WINS in New York the woman was so traumatized, she initially resisted police and medical help.
Detectives were able to get statements from her Friday.
Over the weekend, police released surveillance video of the suspects in a bodega before the incident.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio released a statement Sunday saying he was "disgusted and deeply saddened" by the incident.
On Monday, the mayor defended the NYPD against assertions of a delay in responding to the gang rape, CBS radio station WCBS in New York reported.
De Blasio said police responded quickly, and their investigation lead to the surveillance video used to help identify the suspects, WINS reported.
The gun the father said was used in the attack has not been recovered, police said.