What is this city coming to? I'm lucky to be alive!

SooToday.com has received the following from a resident of the 100 block of Wellington Street East, regarding a swarming incident that happened in front of his house early Friday morning.

We're not publishing the name of this reader because police consider him a victim of violent crime and because of his concerns about the possibility of retribution.

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service was called to the neighbourhood to respond to a report of male and female persons carrying what were initally thought to be baseball bats.

Police arrested and charged 19-year-old Daniel Lepage of 588 Albert Street West, Apt. 405, as well as a 17-year-old male.

The two are accused of breaking off the stair balusters from the victim's home, swinging them at him when he confronted them.

Both males are charged with one count of assault with a weapon and one count of mischief under $5,000.

The 17-year-old, whose name cannot be posted on SooToday.com under restrictions contained in the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is also facing a charge of breach of probation.

Both accused will appear in bail court on Monday morning.

************************* Hi there.

I would like to post an incident that happened [yesterday] morning at 6 a.m. What is this city coming to when a fellow citizen will not help out another? Early [Friday] morning I tried to flag down a grey Toyota truck to try to get some help from being attacked by eight teens with sticks.

It would have been nice if I would have gotten even a little help from someone.

If I had seen a man being attacked in the middle of Wellington I would have at least stopped to help him or her out.

So driver, if you read this, I thought your actions were cowardly.

I myself would have stopped to help a fellow citizen in need.

I held off long enough by myself for the police to arrive.

The kids were kicking my step apart so I went out to stop them.

I yelled at them.

That's when they came after me.

They used my own deck boards with the nails in them as weapons swinging and just missing my face.

What if I was an old man or woman?

I'm glad they didn't find someone else to hurt, but being under 18 they will get a slap on the wrist and be back out on the streets, making me wonder if they will come back. - Sincerely lucky to be alive.

*************************