Tim Bessette, a 53-year-old Milwaukee man, may be a victim of the Knockout Game - a barbaric, violent, racially motivated assault.
It's happening across the country, but many officials are in denial that black youth are "polar bearing," attacking white Americans.
Video from FOX6 News:
What some call “the knockout game” — a disturbing trend of random violence — may have claimed another victim in Milwaukee, and that victim calls what he has gone through this week “a nightmare” — saying he could easily have been killed.The chance of someone turning in these thugs is slim to none.
“The knockout game” involves assailants attempting to “knock out” an unsuspecting victim — often with a single sucker punch.
Serious injuries and deaths have been attributed to this “game.” Some commentators in the United States have cast doubt that the knockout game is an actual trend and have termed it a myth or an example of moral panic. Others have focused on the perception that the game is racially motivated and have called for it to be labelled a hate crime.
53-year-old Tim Bessette was leaving the bus stop near Sherman and Burleigh on Monday evening, December 2nd.
“At that point, all I felt was pain and I went down,” Bessette said.
Bessette says he noticed four teens following him from the bus stop, and said he tried to cross the street.
...Bessette says the teens did more than break his nose.
“I’ve gone through a nightmare in the past several days. My left eye — this is the first day I can see out of it. It was so swelled up I couldn’t see,” Bessette said.
Bessette says he gave Milwaukee police descriptions of the teen attackers, but hopes someone who knows them will turn them in.
If four white kids viciously attacked a 53-year-old black man in Milwaukee, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be on their way.
Who knows? Maybe even the invisible Mayor Tom Barrett would surface and hold one of his trademark "I'm outraged" press conferences.
You can be sure it would be labeled a hate crime.
But since Bessette is white and his attackers are black, we can't call this what it is.
FOX6 News has the statement from the Milwaukee Police Department:
“Several media outlets have asked whether this attack was part of a ”Point-’em out-Knock-’em out game” and whether this is part of a trend in Milwaukee. The phrase “Point-‘em-out-Knock-‘em-out” is being used throughout the country to describe random acts of violence committed by immature criminals. The so-called “Point-‘em-out-Knock-‘em-out game” incidents are not a game, but are in fact crimes that can be categorized as battery and/or robbery.Yes, the Knockout Game is criminal activity.
The Milwaukee Police Department regards these incidents as serious and recognizes the concern these random attacks create. Virtually all robberies and assaults are unprovoked and the very fact that these events appear random makes them hard to prevent and hard to prepare for.
The MPD will continue to use crime analysis and investigative follow-up to deploy our resources effectively and arrest the offenders. We recommend that all pedestrians remain alert and aware of their surroundings at all times, as experience has shown that inattentive lone pedestrians are preferred targets of street crimes.”
It's "battery and/or robbery."
It's also racial.
Denial doesn't solve anything. Pretending these attacks aren't part of an extremely disturbing pattern emboldens the thugs. It's crazy.
The fact is if you're white, you're a potential target in Milwaukee.
It's not safe to walk alone in Milwaukee. It's not safe to stand at a bus stop. If you're white, you might be the thugs' next victim in their twisted game.
Officials are unresponsive to the reality of the matter. It's easier to ignore.
There are many reasons Milwaukee is dying. Add the Knockout Game (AKA "battery and/or robbery") to the long list.
Every day, more good people escape the city. It's a rational move to make.
