Police ask attack video victims to step forward

Saint Paul, Minn. -- Police are asking victims in recent random assaults, which were videotaped and posted to YouTube, to step forward now even if they didn't originally report the crimes.

"It's an absolutely essential key to being able to file charges," Sgt Paul Schnell of the Saint Paul Police Department told KARE Wednesday,  "We have to have that victim. It becomes an important piece of this puzzle."

A few victims have already called, because of the media buzz surrounding the video, which shows a series of assaults on unsuspecting pedestrians, joggers and bicyclists in Saint Paul.  In the opening scene the stars of the video are shown walking past Minneapolis South High School.

Schnell said it's common for victims not to report such crimes because they don't want to be perceived as overreacting.

"Some of these folks think they don't want to bother the police with something like this, or they may be a little embarrassed it happened to them," Schnell explained, "But we really need people to come forward so we can connect actual victims to the incidents on the tapes."

Arrests Made

Saint Paul police arrested two suspects Tuesday night, including a 19-year-old Oakdale man and a 17-year-old St. Paul youth. Investigators are seeking two other adults they've identified from the tapes, posted under the banner of "Watch This TV" on YouTube.  Four other juveniles are being sought for questioning.

Minneapolis Police said Wednesday afternoon they had made two arrests also in connection with the"They may have been trying to mimic those 'Jackass'-style programs," Schnell said, "But the distinction here is that these victims were not willing participants."

Schnell said it was clear the young men who took part in the YouTube video selected victims who weren't likely to fight back, including older adults and children.

"These people are going about their lives and were attacked," he remarked, "This was not fun and games. These were criminal attacks on people who did not expect it, were not participating and did not think it was funny."

The video ended with the words "more to come" posted as a title slate, which is prompting investigators to look for evidence of other attacks in the cell phones, cameras and computers of those they've taken into custody.

"Clearly one of the things the video demonstrated was that this was episode one," Schnell said.

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