Teenagers attack homeless people in Binghamton

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Over the past few weeks, there have been reports of attacks on homeless people in the middle of the night in downtown Binghamton.

Local advocates for the homeless are banding together to call attention to an alleged series of attacks carried out by a group of teenagers.

The Chenango Street Bus Station has recently become a popular place for people who have nowhere else to go.

A video posted to Facebook two weeks ago shows a heavy police presence inside the bus station after one of these alleged attacks on the homeless.

The video was taken by homeless activist Jeff Carlson.

Carlson says that over the past few weeks, he has noticed the same group of children walking around late at night near the bus station.

He says the night he took the video, he was nearby when he heard a commotion.

“And I heard a ruckus from what sounded like young children, and then I heard someone screaming for help. I arrive at the bus station and find a scene of a guy with a bloody face, obviously the one who was screaming for help, and another guy who had just been beaten up. There was a gentleman sleeping and they took a stone, approached him and hit him on the head. I saw the ambulance take this guy away,” Carlson said.

After the attack, law enforcement asked everyone to leave the property because it was late.

Carlson approached a member of Broome County security who patrols the station and asked why they had to leave saying they didn't feel safe anywhere else.

“Wouldn’t it be a good idea to let us stay, just for safety, safety in numbers, tonight let’s stay here.” Even though that’s where the violence took place, it was after hours, in a well-lit, filmed location,” Carlson says.

Carlson says the confrontation between them escalated to the point where the officer ripped the phone out of his hand, breaking it.

NewsChannel 34 reached out to Broome County Security for comment and was informed that the county was aware of an incident at the bus station involving minors, but that it was likely an isolated incident.

In response to the alleged attacks, the Wagon Train Warriors, a nonprofit organization that provides food and clothing to the homeless, held a rally Friday in which they held signs, shouted chants and marched from the bus station to the city hall.

Carlson fears the attacks on the homeless are part of a gang initiation and that there are more to come.

In the video taken by Carlson, you can hear one of the officers telling someone at the bus station that if they don't have a ticket, they are entering Broome County property.

Carlson believes the attacks could have been recorded by security cameras across the city and is urging law enforcement to review the footage.