Can you wish the witnesses did something to stop him, without judging them for their inability to do so? - Absolutely.

Can anyone know how one would act if confronted with this horrific situation? No, we can hope and assume how we would act but unless we're in the situation we don't know. Some people do go into shock mode while others go into action mode - everyone is wired differently and therefore react differently.

i would definitely feel powerless in that situation... i'd call 911 and maybe yell at the guy, but i know that i cannot physically stop anything... now if i were an off duty firefighter, might be a different story.

as to the poor guy who got hit by a car and left in the road, i have to admit i am somewhat jaded from the many scam attempts i have seen . if i had not seen him get hit and only saw him laying in the street, again, i'd definitely call 911, maybe stop my car in front of him with flashers, but probably would not physically intervene, due to lack of medical information and total uncertainty about the situation.

The FIREFIGHTER didn't intervene??

What was his excuse? because shock doesn't work for him.

This is tragic both for the poor innocent boy and the state of society.

Oh geeze this is HORRIBLE.

I remember one time I was coming out of my apartment building and my doorman was being physically harassed by some incredibly angry man to the extent that the man was trying to grab him and pull him out of his desk area and beat him. The doorman wasn't fighting back but was obviously scared. Being as I'm only a young woman (5'7), I was pretty scared about how he would react towards me if I tried to intervene....because of the rage coming out of this man.

The only thing I could do was immediately call the Super (who lives in the building) to get his as* over as soon as possible. The super sounded as though he REALLY didnt want to get involved. I have to say I felt really guilty in THAT instance.

This is very different because it does involve a 2 year old boy being beaten, but I do understand the "freezing in fear" mentality...

I agree, Cab. I probably wouldn't have been able to actually step in, but I hope that some men that were there could band together to stop it. So sad.

See if more people had concealed carry permits, someone would have been able to restrain the dirtbag.

Whats that saying? An armed society is a polite society?

I am a little confused: If the volunteer fire fighter saw a fire would he freeze if so I am afraid.

As for the others yes, I can see them freezing, scared, confused. However, he was stomping his 2 year old. Maybe I am the stupid one that sees stuff and say something. My mom has told me not to do this but sometimes I can't see someone just doing nothing. If someone was beating the h*ll out of me - I want someone to help me if I can't help myself.

This is just sad all the way around.

I like to think I would intervene, especially if I could see the anguish on that little boy's face. If I didn't do something, that image would haunt me.

I'm barely 5'1" and am about 120 lbs, so yeah...I'm not much help in any situation that might involve defending someone. I mean, not so sound mean, and maybe I'm overly paranoid, but if I saw something like someone on the side of the road next to a broken-down car, I sure as hell am not stopping. I'd make a phone call to help the person, but you never know who might try to hurt you and how to defend yourself. But...I don't know, that's a different scenario than the ones mentioned above. At least they called the police right away. But the man who got hit by a car? And only four people called 911? It's not like he was hit in a super high-traffic area (e.g. the highway). There are parking spots right there. Disgusting...but then again with the whole Kitty Genovese case, is this really surprising?

I agree with cab about the firefighter...

You know, I have been faced with a situation where there was a couple fighting on the street and the man was beating the sh*t out of the poor woman. I called 911 pronto and stuck around until the cops got there.

I have to go with NYFAshionista on this one - this is totally different. This involved the beating of an innocent 2 year old. I don't think I could have held myself back from doing something, even at the risk to myself. What if everyone standing around watching this had ALL stepped in?? This poor child could still be alive. And a FIREFIGHTER didn't get involved? I don't buy the shock excuse, either, cabaker! This is a look at how pathetic our society has become - it is so sad.

Just to be clear I think being in shock is very reasonable for most people, but we ask more of that from our military, police, and firefighters. Is they can't be trusted to respond in an emergency, who can?

I agree about the firefighter - I would think that his/her training would include some type of intervention into an attack.

more THAN that... not more OF that... my b!

I read an article in Time that was dicussing different disasters (9/11, planes catching on fire, etc.). They said that 40% of people will simply sit their because their brain can not comprehend the situation. It is like a brain freeze. There are 30% of people that will follow a leader, but not take action by themselves. Then only 30% of people will be the leaders.

One thing that ties into the fire fighter in this, is that they said that if you have already thought about that situation, your brain will be able to make the connections for you to be a leader. If you have NEVER considered that could happen, you are more likely to freeze. The fire fighter has probably thought about 10,000 different fire situations and would be nimble in that area, but I doubt that he has thought about what he would do if he saw a man beating a child to death with his bare hands.

The bottom line of the story was really, read your emergency exit signs!

I don't know if I could intervene, I don't know if my brain would process the situation fast enough. I don't know if I could honestly comprehend something this violent in time and act.

This reminds me of an officer explaining to me that a gun in a school situation is unlike ANY other gun call, b/c of the seconds lost in not responding. If it is a school shooting, he is trained to just GO, toward the gunshots, and stop the shooter. In any other situation they assess, they see if it is a hostage situation, wait on backup. Without training to GO, I think there is an instinct (self preservation) that says to stop/assess first.

From my own experience, I can attest that you never know how you would react. A strong seemingly brave person can just stand there and stare, while a physically frail non aggressive person can fight a large man with a gun. It can happen and there is no way to know, something takes over in times of trauma and you just react.

Thanks Jill for that info. Maybe I am just off or seen some f up things in my life. I could not just freeze.

I know nothing about volunteer firefighters. Do they get extensive training, or are they just regular folks who help out?

I agree cab. The firefighter has no excuse. Really I don't think anyone does. Go into a store, grab something heavy and beat the crap out of the guy. I mean come on! It is ONE guy beating up on a baby and you watch it? What kind of wimpy people do we have in this country? People apparently need to focus on self defense techniques so they feel confident to fight back. And no one had mace?

Oh and excellent point cab, and armed society IS a polite society.

If you have NEVER considered that could happen, you are more likely to freeze.

this makes so much sense to me. I've known people, myself included, who have played various scenarios over in their heads for a "just in case" situation and if those situations actually ever come up these people, again myself included, have responded better to them. I'm constantly playing what if's in my head and figuring out action plans for if they ever come up - they rarely do thank goodness - but at least I'm prepared with some type of plan.

Yes, to clarify my comment, too - I meant the shock excuse for the firefighter, not the others!

Jill - thanks for posting that information. It is very interesting. And Kim, I am definately going to take a page from your book and start doing more of those "what-if" scenarios in my head. That is really good advice.

I wonder how many of the people who witnessed this horrifying event had children? Before having children, I wouldn't have done anything. Now that I have kids, I know I would've jumped in (and probably gotten pounded). I can't imagine sitting back and watching while a kid is beaten.

J - I would think that volunteer firefighters would get as much training as full time ones simply for insurance and liability purposes... but I don't know for sure.

Just saw it was on a rural road so that means no store, but that does mean weapons in your car. Hello Mr. Tire Iron.

Oh and Kim, I do that all the time, to a twisted extent. I think it comes from living in cities.

My boyfriend was a volunteer firefighter for a while- but he never received training to actually fight fires (i think he went through a CPR training at most)- they mostly kept him in the house to help around (granted he was in high school at the time and it's quite possible that other volunteers are treated in a different manner). I wouldn't want to jump to conclusions about the volunteer fire fighter not intervening either just because we don't know how much training he has received or how much he has worked etc. I would jump to conclusions about a cop or a fulltime fire fighter though.

It's human instinct/nature to act the way in which they did. I really hope God forbid I'm ever in this type of situation, I'm able to overcome that "freeze mode" and help the victim.

I should clarify a bit more- I think there are different types of volunteer fire fighters and levels one must go through to actually start fighting fires (that's what I've been told at least)...

I think it depends on the volunteer service. In the area I am living in now, the firefighters are all volunteer, so obviously they have extensive training, when my brother was one, he had training but he was not going to fun into a fire, if that makes sense.

NYF, I agree. I think there are different levels to volunteer fire fighters.

Exactly Cine

I read about this story in the paper yesterday morning. I got half way and I could not bring my self to finish it. Unfortunately since the father is dead we may never know the why of it all unless he has a history of mental illness and or drug abuse. This is so tragic.

I can certainly understand that in the face of such irrational rage how people would have feared for their own lives. I do not fault them for not intervening and I think it’s safe to say that every one of them is agonizing over the fact that they couldn't.

Personalities also play a huge factor in these situations. I personally have been known to maintain complete composure and stay calm while others around me would freak out or go into shock in an emergency situation. This doesn't mean that I'm not afraid just like anyone else, it just means that I am able to harness my adrenalin and focus its use rather than let it run unbridled. This ability has saved me from three potentially fatal accidents. I'm just counting down my nine lives.

You're fascinating hpynoticmix on so many levels. I'm an admirer!!

I can't imagine just standing there and watching... but even though I'm a woman, I have an extremely aggresive personality type. It wouldn't be the first time I picked a fight with someone bigger than me... and I can't think of any other circumstance that I'd be more inclined to do so.

That is a lovely compliment NYFashionista, than you.

Thanks for the info, Jill.

Monday i am with you. If nothing else, I would have taken my car, gone next to him and laid on my horn. Once he got annoyed with me I would have run him over.

Now I am going through all the horrible things I would have done to this sick a** hole.

Cine, you are my hero for the day!

I can't presume that I would have done something if I was there, but judging by my passion to protect children as most of you are aware of I'm inclined to think I would have done something.

Another point about the fact that we were not there is that some witnesses may have decided that with the injuries sustained by the child they may have made the personal choice that it would be better to let him die. I know that sounds horribly harsh but never the less a consideration.

Ahh Thanks Martini!

Hypno, I understand what you are saying, but I honestly do not think they had that much of a thought process. I think you have two Fight or Flight in instances in that. I think nature takes over and you are not going to be examining the kids wounds and making such a decision.

Very true cine that is the great majority of people, but there are those out there who have what I call the Hanible Lecter condition. Where their pulse wouldn't so much as quicken in any flight or fight situation.

cine... we would've kicked the man's ass together then. I don't judge the people that didn't act... I just can't put myself in their shoes.

Hellz yeah we would monday! I try not to judge, but in a circumstance like this, it is very difficult for me not to, especially since these people had cars which they could have used as a weapon.

everyone here is being a monday morning quarterback. i just don't think you can say how you would have responded unless you were there yourself. apparently someone did try to restrain him, pull him away, but he just went right back to beating the kid and was screaming about 'getting demons out'. this guy was probably raving mad and behaving erratically. we'd all like to think that we'd don a red cape and swoop down to rescue the kid, but its just impossible to predict. i feel badly for everyone involved... the boy's family of course, but also the people who were there and witnessed this. they will have to live with the guilt, and horrific images of what happened, for the rest of their lives.

Sure I can't say how I would respond without any doubt if I were there because I was not there, but I can tell you how I would react based on previous experiences in my life. And based on those, I can tell you I would have done something.

yy... again, I'm not judging the people that didn't act. I understand why they didn't. But I'm not that person. And I don't think it's fair to be saying that I, or other commenters like me, are "monday morning quarterbacks". I've been in my share of stressful situations with and without extreme circumstances. Falling back on my previous experiences, I can say I would've intervened. Whether or not it would've made a difference, I can't say.

yesteryear, you are probably right regarding the guilt that those who witnessed this feel - I am sure those people are playing the "if I had only ...." scenarios over and over in their minds.

I was talking about this with a coworker and he insists that the bystanders could be charged as accessories to murder for not intervening. Anyone know anything about that?

Some states do have varying degrees of Good Samaritan laws.

yy, I agree with you.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure no one was in the frame of mine to open their trunk and dig out their tire iron. That's the type of thing you think of afterwards.

This reminds me of the Kitty Genovese case from a while back. We learned a bit about this in our social psychology class that people take cues from each other. People also assume that their responsibility to help is less given the number of people.

Personally, I can't even imagine what I would have done, but I don't think I'm so extraordinary that I would have thrown myself on the ground to cover the girl.