Pittsburgh Police Arrest Juvenile in Downtown Teacher Assault

Pittsburgh police arrested a 15-year-old boy today for a vicious, apparently unprovoked assault on a teacher last week in a Downtown alley that was captured on video.

Police spokeswoman Diane Richard said the boy, a student at the city’s Letsche alternative school, has been charged with simple assault.

“It appears to be a random act, but this juvenile has a track record, already has, for example, a probation officer,” said Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s spokeswoman, Joanna Doven.

Zone 2 Cmdr. Eric Holmes said patrols by bicycle and K-9 officers in the neighborhood have been increased, particularly around dismissal time for the three schools in the area — the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Urban Pathways Charter School and City Charter High School.

Teacher James Addlespurger of CAPA was walking down Tito Way near the Benedum Center on Thursday afternoon as six young men walked in the other direction.

Suddenly one of the men — not even the closest one to Mr. Addlespurger — stepped over to the teacher and socked him in the face, knocking him out with one punch.

As Mr. Addlespurger dropped to the ground, his head striking the curb, the youths continued nonchalantly walking down the alley as the attacker looked back.

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