I Was Strangled and Beaten by a Stranger. I'm Injured. I'm Angry.

It's been close to a week and I think I can finally handle comments outside of my close friends on LJ. But I need to talk and vent and just scream into the ether for a bit.

This is a very long read, so I'm warning you now.

Long story short: someone woke me up at 2 am on friday 2/20 screaming for help. I jumped out of bed, grabbed my phone and ran out into my hallway. Because I only heard one voice, I didn't expect an attacker. I thought someone had fallen down the stairs.

They hadn't. I ran to the source of the noise and found a man pinned to the ground by another man who was beating him and biting chunks out of his face. I backed away and called 911 immediately. The attacker got off the man while I was on the phone. The victim started yelling at the man to run away because I had called the cops and they would arrest him. He was saying, "run away! she called the cops! they're gonna arrest you and you need to hide!" The attacker ran into an apartment while he was yelling this. I was stunned that the victim said such a thing while I was trying to help him, and I should have just run away to safety then. But I didn't. I helped the victim get up off the ground and retrieve his dog, who had run down to the fire escape on the other end of the hall. While I was trying to calm the victim and checking his injuries and trying to think of a way to get off this floor and to a safe place, the attacker came out of the apartment. I did not see him exit because the victim's body was blocking my view of the apartment door.

He rushed us, knocked the victim aside before I knew what was happening and lunged at me. He ripped my shirt off and exposed me. He then grabbed my neck with one hand and my hair with the other, and pulled my head down so all I could see was hair and floor. He then strangled me for 15-20 seconds while I thrashed and twisted and punched. He was trying to pull me onto the ground, presumably to strangle, beat and bite me to death, but he never got that far because I fought him so hard. It was weird, as soon as he grabbed my neck I stopped being scared and went into pure rage.

While I was struggling to get him off of me, I misstepped and my left foot went CRACKCRACKCRACK and seized up. Knowing he had just broke my foot infuriated me so much that my adrenaline surged more and I broke free of him. I ran down two flights of stairs on my broken foot into my apartment and locked the door. The attacker followed me and thrashed against my door while I dialed 911 again. I screamed at the door, "Fuck you! You broke my foot!" and the thrashing stopped after a few more seconds. I waited for the police and paramedics to show up and escort me out of the building.

According to the police report I got a copy of yesterday, the attacker ran off, then later returned to attempt another assault on the victim. I did not know this at the time of the attack, and only found out later. I also learned later that the victim and attacker are domestic partners, and this had been the 3rd incident between them that had been reported to the apartment manager. However, this was the first incident to involve the police. The victim will not press charges, he will not cooperate with the police, and he will not go to the hospital for his injuries. His face is was so mauled that he will probably need reconstructive surgery.

My foot has been broken in three places. I have bruises every place he grabbed me and strangulation marks on my neck. I am in a cast and crutches. I am horribly traumatized. I scream and lash out at everyone now. I have nightmares, and between the trauma and the pain meds, I cannot stay focused enough to work at my job. Not that it would matter, because my workplace is up a flight of stairs and I can't climb stairs.

My troubles are just beginning.

I am now without a home, for two reasons:

1) my apartment building is marked as a historical monument and I believe is exempt from ADA requirements for handicap access. I have to ascend and decend stairs to get in and out of my building, to the dumpsters, and the parking lot to my car. I live on the 5th floor, so the stairs are obviously out. The elevator is an old fashioned lift that requires you simultaneously open a heavy door and slide a metal grate while walking through the entrance. I tried on tuesday to enter the elevator and ended up losing my crutches and crashing to the ground while the door and grate crushed me. My aunt and boyfriend had to pull the doors off me and pick me up. Once inside my apartment, I cannot get into my shower, nor my closet, nor can I reach my cupboards to retrieve food. My bed is a loft bed and thus 6 feet of the ground, and requires a ladder to get into. I would have to sleep on the ground. My desk and dresser is under the loft bed and requires stooping to access. Out of the question at the moment.

2) the victim and attacker live one floor up from me. I do not know if the attacker has been arrested, or if he was arrested, if he posted bail. The police will tell me nothing. The attacker has a key to the building, and may be at large. The couple had a history of domestic violence that the apartment manager knew about, and did nothing about. He still refuses to do anything about it, nevermind that 2 people in his complex were almost murdered during this latest dispute. The apartment manager is refusing to evict them without a police report provided by me. (a lie-a violent tenant can be evicted within hours, police report or no) Then he says it will take a minimum of 3 MONTHS to evict them. (also bullshit - see first parathetical remark) They will not negociate relocating me to a first floor apartment in a different building. The rent is several hundred dollars higher for the first floor than what I currently pay, and they will not relocate me unless I pay what's remaining on my lease (8 months worth of rent!) and pay the higher rent on the new apartment. They expect me to pay for next months rent on an apartment that I cannot physically enter or live in.

When I told the manager that I was unable to live in my apartment until further notice, he said "well you're just not used to crutches and so-and-so tenant broke his leg once and got around just fine." Yeah, well I broke this same foot just a year ago. I am far more comfortable on crutches than I ever wanted to be and I know exactly what I am and am not capable of. This manager admitted that he's never broken a bone in his life, so fuck that lazy, lying, negligent twatfart!

So, I am now living with my mother indefinitely. She herself is recovering from surgery, but she has to carry things for me, do my laundry, help me bathe, etc etc. I am so ashamed to be a 26 year old woman who has to depend on my mom to do basic tasks.

There's a Victims of Violent Crime Service that I can apply for to recieve aid for relocating, medical bills, and legal aid. I had a 72 hour window to apply. I called hours after the attack, and have been calling several times a day for help, leaving a message each time.

No one will return my phone calls.

The police have not assigned a detective to the case. They were trying to make me pay $23 and wait 12 weeks for a copy of the police report. I finally went down to the precinct in person and argued with the junior officer at the front desk until a senior officer came out to the lobby and told the junior officer to knock it off and get me my report. Again, they still won't tell me if the attacker is in custody, or if he was even arrested in the first place. The police report is riddled with discrepancies and innaccuracies, and I've been told, "too bad, it's your word against the police at trial". So the cops have seriously damaged my credibility as a witness because the report is some tall tale that resembles nothing of what actually happened!

And finally, the victim himself. At the moment I am angrier at him than anyone else. He will not press charges. He will not cooperate with the police and if the police report is anything to go by, is already lying about what happened to keep his lover out of jail. He won't give a statement to the police. He refused medical treatment, although he was badly injured with bruises, slap marks and oozing bite marks all over his face, neck and chest. When I was calling 911 the first time, he told the guy to run away. He won't return phone calls from the police or the apartment manager. I suspect, if the attacker was arrested, that he bailed him out. Otherwise, he might be hiding him.

I've been told twice now that I am wrong to feel angry at the victim for his behavior. I was told I am insensitive to his plight and his fragile battered-wife psychology. Well, fuck his idiot ass and fuck the people who are rationalizing away his extremely selfish stupidity. I don't care about the twisted psychology of this guy, if he is obstructing an investigation into this incident and is aiding and abetting this evil man, then he is a fucking moron and a selfish immoral prick who deserves what will inevitably rain down upon him.

Oh, and let's talk about the other tenants in my apartment building. Everyone heard what was happening in the hall at 2 am in the morning.

No one called the police. I called the police twice.
No one came out to help me or the other victim as we were being beaten and strangled.
No one attempted to contact the apartment manager while this was happening.
No one would open the main door of the building to admit the police. As a result, it took over a half hour for the police and paramedics to get into my building to rescue us.
One person complained to the manager the next day that we were a nusiance and disturbed his sleep.

So you know what? Fuck them too.

So, to recap:

I was almost murderd on friday, while preventing someone else from possibly being murdered.

I have lost my mobility.

I am in constant physical pain and the narcotic drugs are not helping.

I have lost my home.

I may lose my job.

I'm about to lose my savings to big medical bills and lawyer fees.

The resources who are supposed to help me put this guy away and put my life back together are fucking with me on an institutional level.

My life and my independence, which I've spent the 26 years of my existence preparing for and building, was upended and sent shattering all over the floor in the span of approximately 90 seconds.

That is all.

 

Oh, shit!

Bears, I won't bore you with platitudes or anything like that, I know that's not what you want to hear right now. I think I speak for everyone here though when I say these things: 1) You are the only person in this whole sad situation who has Brain One in your head (whatever state you live in, it seems like apart from you, it's populated largely by morons!), and 2) We are all very glad that you lived through it and are now here to talk to us.

 

I'm so sorry dear. *big hugs* If you need help, i'm not doing anything. Give me a call.

 

Iam so sorry.
I hope you get better soon and that the cops get there act together You have every right to feel angry at both of them.
I afraid i do not know what ells to say.

 

That is a seriously messed up situation. I don't even know how to begin responding to it.

The only thing I can think it say is that it is such a bizarre, incredible story involving insanity and injustice on so many levels, that if you get a decent lawyer you'll probably see some good come out of it.

Best of luck. I really wish I could help, or had been there to help in the first place.

 

My sympathies to you.

Where I live there is a local TV station who investigates local complaints including those involving private and public sectors. If you have one of those, you should let them hear your story, and see if they can't shed a little light on the jerks who are not helping you (apartment management & the Victim of Violent Crimes folks.) That may shame them into helping you.

Second you have been assaulted (well, technically battered). Doesn't matter about the other idiot victim. You can press charges. Write the City Manager and the Police Chief and tell them how you have been treated by their public servants.

Contact the District Attorney...ask to press charges...and you expect prosecution and not persecution for being a good samaritan.

 

Good Grief!

Bears, this is horrible. I don't really know what to say. I'm sorry that you were hurt, but I'm glad that you weren't killed or hurt worse. You certainly don't want to be anywhere near that apartment complex now, with that guy probably still around.

If you can, you should try to sue both the owner of the complex and both of those guys. I hope this situation works out for you over time. I especially hope that you're able to keep your job.

You certainly have every right to be full of rage after something like that, but I really hope that you can look past it for your own sake. Don't let them hurt your heart like they hurt your body.

If there's anything I can do to help out, please let me know. Again, I'm very sorry to hear this.

 

That's a good idea, too. TV stations can help get things going by embarrassing the hell out of those who oppose you. You might try this tactic.

Also, you might consider arming yourself should you ever have to face this creep again.

 

And, as terrible as it sounds, make sure you have pictures of your injuries.

 

Holy shit! That is insane!

Bears, I'm glad you're okay.

Believe it or not, something similar happened yesterday at our apartment complex. We live in a bad part of town. Well, it wasn't when we moved in to this place, but it is now. Anyway, yesterday, I had to call the police because I heard someone scream "help! help me!" to which I heard a car horn being laid into. I looked out the window and in the parking lot two people were trying to subdue this woman who was screaming at the top of her lungs.

I ran downstairs and whomever it was ran away (I'm a fairly large guy and when I'm in a hurry I look very, very angry). She was okay aside from emotionally, they hadn't done anything to her. She just got up and walked away toward the courtyard, no acknowledgment of whether she was okay or whether she even knew I was there. So, I ran inside and called the complex manager and got no response. It was only 2 PM and there should have been someone in the office. I called this morning too, and there was no response, and no one was in the office when I ran down there.

The police, ironically enough, never showed up, and I haven't seen her since yesterday.

As for you, anything I can do to help, let me know. My prayers and best thoughts to you, bear.

J.

 

Yes.

 

Jesus, I am really sorry Bears, that is just beyond terrible. I'm floored. I really hope everything works out for you here.

 

You should get a lawyer, too, and consider suing for pain, suffering, medical costs, lost wages, etc. I'm not a lawyer, but I think this is a case where one could be of enormous help.

 

Bears, I cannot adequately tell you how sorry I am that this all has happened/is happening to you. I don't know what city or state or country you live in, so I won't suggest anything in terms of law enforcement.

But I URGE you to find a good counselor, immediately. Find a therapist you trust and get some help to work through what you are feeling. If you have a regular doctor, start there for referrals. Your emotional health is just as important as your broken foot. Please, please find someone to talk to about this event.

And, Godspeed.

 

Neither the police or hospital took pictures of my injuries (the fuck?!)

So, I took pictures with my cell phone camera while in the ER. I have images of my bruises, the marks on my neck, the scratches where he grabbed and pulled my shirt, and my black and swollen foot before they casted it.

I also saved the shirt he tore and have put it in a plastic baggy for evidence.

And yes, I am pressing charges and hiring a lawyer to deal with the assailant, the victim (if he continues to insist on helping this fuckwit) and the apartment complex. I am throwing the book. I am going to ruin this man. I don't care if he's already hit the bottom, I'm going to grab a shovel and start digging.

I wished I believed in hell. Because I want him to burn for this.

 

This is terrible and I feel for you. I know you probably don't care and you wish you hadn't interfered on hindsight, but you did what you felt was right at the time and that is both brave and commendable. The guy is obviously a douche bag and an asshole but it's possible you did save his life, though I know that's probably not consolation for you right now.

Try your hardest not to let this incident permanently influence your perspective on other individuals but above all take care of yourself

 

I never know what to say to people in situations like this.

Yours is a truly awful situation, and none of us can envy your position at all. The injustice you must feel you've been subjected to must be immense. I can't really add more to what's already been suggested. All I can say is thank goodness you're still with us, Bears.

I realise you will feel angry, betrayed, mistreated, abused, and cheated, and that you feel you ought to lash out at the whole world - in your situation it is a natural reaction, but please, just don't do anything you'll regret later. Make sure you have family, friends, a trusting professional and a good lawyer by your side. They will be the best ones to advise you at this moment.

All of our thoughts are with you and hoping you can find something to help you get through this tough time. We all know you can do this.

 

Civilization lets in the worst kind of people and does nothing to stop them getting worse. My skillset is shooting "bunnies" at half a mile out but I would go out of my way to save a small animal from harm.

I can only recommend you try to rebuild your life and survive. While i despise armies and the idea of them, I can only recommend you consider a sign up - it provides a certain level of security - even if you pursue a medical career in the Military - Nursing is popular -and you get to travel.

 

What a fucked up situation - very submissive, mentally messed up people invariably drift into troubled relationships with violent and selfish bullies (the bloke who broke your leg should be locked away if he is consistantly that violent).