VIDEO: Philly Flash Mob Attacks Campus Officers, Students, Police Horse
Four juveniles were arrested in a series of flash mob-style attacks on Temple University's campus this weekend that left students and police officers hurt, police and university officials said.
Groups of young people, estimated to number between 20 to 100, roved the school's North Philadelphia campus Friday night for nearly two hours causing havoc, authorities said.
Students were punched and kicked, an officer tossed to the ground and stones were thrown at passing cars, police said. Officers from three agencies — the Philadelphia Police Department, Temple University police and SEPTA police —responded to the incidents.
As many as six Temple students were hurt in the attacks as they walked around campus between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. that night, along with a university police officer and a Philadelphia police horse.
At 9 p.m., a Temple police officer was tossed to the ground, landing on top of her patrol bike, while trying to apprehend a 15-year-old boy who was seen throwing rocks at cars driving along Broad Street, police said.
The teen was running from officers when he attacked the patrolwoman, police said. She suffered bruises to her leg and a scrape to her knee. The teen was apprehended a block away.
About 10 minutes later, a 15-year-old teen walked up to an equine officer and punched the animal in the head and face at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, police said. The mounted officer had been dispatched to help disperse as many as 100 kids at that corner.
He was arrested following a short chase, NBC Philadelphia reports.