SEATTLE,WA: A gang of teen agers beat up at least three people here, One victim David Baxter was rescued by Gagandeep Baines, age 26, a Sikh cab driver who shouted at the gangsters to stop when he saw them laying.

Another victim, Levaughn Brown, 39, of Tacoma, remained hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center, and was in satisfactory condition. He suffered head injuries. David Hess Baxter, 34, was treated for cuts and bruises to his head and upper body, Police believe he is a transient.

A witness said he saw a third person being assaulted by the same group.

“There was no reason for the beatings, they were just wild,” said Gagandeep Baines.

Baines said it appeared as though the group was on a” wilding” spree ~ simply attacking people at random for no reason.

Police said that at least three people were assaulted about3a.m. by roving bands of youths in their early teens, There were no arrests So far. Baxter was assaulted at Third Ave. and Blanchard S1., and Brown was attacked in the 1900 block of Fourth Ave., police said.

Baxter told police he was knocked to the ground and kicked and punched before he was rescued by Baines.

Brown was found by police lying in a parking lot, his head bleeding. He was not able to provide police with information about his attackers, officers said.

According to a police report, investigators believe the attacks were committed by the same group of youths. Baines said he saw a third person being beaten at Third and Blanchard, just before police arrived to investigate Baxter’s beating.

Baines helped Baxter escape after seeing the gang of youths beating him, Baines stopped his cab and shouted at them to stop. “They were not trying to rob him, they were beating him, but one guy grabbed at (the victim’s) wallet” he said, adding that the action seemed almost an afterthought.

“I yelled at them to stop beating him. They tried to abuse me, too, a little bit, yelling to go away and Stuff like that.’

But Baines actions forced the group to stop beating Baxter.

“His (Baxter) came over to my Cab and I took him to a pay phone, and then came back,” Baines said. The taxi driver then saw the other man being assaulted.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 7, 1993