REVEALED: The Babyface Of Evil?

OK, if you haven’t been following this story, start here:

Philadelphia police continue to look for two men (in surveillance footage above and below) accused of attacking a Geno’s Steaks employee. The owner of the business is offering a reward. Police say it was around 6:30am December 27th when two males started to argue with a female employee at Geno’s Steaks about the now notorious sign there “this is America, when ordering please speak English”.

A male employee, Tony Chestnut, was power-washing the sidewalk when he went to his co-workers aide. Chestnut, who is recovering at his south Philadelphia home, describes what he says happened next.”When I just waved them off and turned my back and the next thing I know I was in the air and seeing the ground come up real close real fast.” Chestnut has cranial damage, hearing loss, and injuries to his spine and ribs. The owner of Geno’s is offering a $5,000 reward. [via KYW]

Then there was this update, an interview with the victim, who turns out to be an ex-Marine:

His cheekbone pressed into his eardrum, causing a loss of hearing that he may not get back. He also has a broken collarbone, rib and vertebra.“I’ve been shot, stabbed, hit with bats, pipes, bottles, everything, and multiple five-on-ones, 10-on-ones — never ended up like this,” he said. Chestnut said it was not a fair fight. [via WCAU-TV]

Then today, comes this news:

One of two men accused of attacking a Geno’s Steaks employee last month in South Philadelphia has been arrested. Kevin Bacci, 19, of Devon, [PICTURED ABOVE, MIDDLE] has been charged with attempted murder for knocking the employee unconscious on Dec. 27 just outside the steak shop on South 9th Street, police said. Bacci turned himself into Southwest Detectives on Thursday. He has also been charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and harassment. [via the INQUIRER]

All of which raises the question, WTF were these guys doing buying cheesesteaks at dawn? Or, more accurately, WTF were they on? Our first guess would be whatever drug Bruce Banner used to shoot up to become Hulk. Lord knows this kid’s gonna need a daily dose where he’s going. HINT: There ain’t no MySpace there.

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TANGENTIALLY RELATED: Mean Streets Of Main Line Get A Little Less Mean

KILLADELPHIA: Police hope images captured on a surveillance video camera will help identify the gunman who fatally shot a man at the Variety Store at 57th and Arch Streets in West Philadelphia.On Jan. 10, Gregory Jackson, 26, who lived near the murder scene and was a frequent customer at the store, got into a confrontation with a man about 8:30 p.m. and was shot, police said.The suspect, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and baseball cap, is seen on the surveillance tape for several minutes outside the store, arguing with the victim and taking off. Today, police held a press conference to display an edited version of the video that censored the actual shooting.

SLASHADELPHIA: Philadelphia police yesterday issued arrest warrants for a gang of girls who are believed to have attacked a West Philadelphia High School sophomore last week. Two adults and four teenagers were allegedly involved in the assault January 14 at bus stop at 48th and Spruce Streets, about two blocks from the school. Shakia West, 15, was slashed several times with a sharp object and required 110 stitches to her face and the back of her head. Two other girls received superficial injuries… Two days after the slashing, police charged a 16-year-old girl with aggravated assault and other counts in connection with the attack. The girl is also a student at the school.

REASON # 6,831 WHY WE LIKE MIKE: Mayor Nutter yesterday said he would enforce new city gun-control laws even without state authorization to do so – setting up a possible legal and political showdown between the state and the new mayor. At the first regular meeting of the new City Council yesterday, Council members Darrell L. Clarke and Donna Reed Miller introduced the same package of gun-control measures that languished last year while the state legislature refused to authorize them. But these bills have a new wrinkle — they don’t call for state-enabling legislation. The previous bills were conditional on companion state laws in recognition of a 1996 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that said cities could not enforce their own gun laws. But Nutter, Clarke and Miller, frustrated by the repeated failure of gun-control measures in the legislature, now appear ready to do just that.

[Hat tip to JEFF DEENEY]