Taking The Law Into Their Own Hands!

Jose Carrasquillo, 26, was a suspect in the rape of an 11 year-old girl in Philadelphia on Monday morning. A few hours after police released his name and photograph as a potential suspect he was spotted by residents where proceeded to take the law into their own hands:

Carrasquillo was seen by residents walking west on Clearfield toward Front about 3:15 p.m. A block before Front, at Lee Street, several males, including at least two teens, confronted the suspect.

"Hey, yo! You raped this girl," one of the teens told the suspect, according to Kris Torres, 16, who was part of the group of three or four. The suspect denied it.

"No. I have a daughter myself," said Carrasquillo, according to Torres.

But the neighborhood was convinced he was the suspect because detectives came to the area in the morning showing a photograph to residents. Torres said the teens, including himself, started hitting the suspect.

"We just pounded on him because we wanted him arrested," Torres said.

The suspect, however, continued to deny he was the attacker, said Louis Rodriguez, 16, who said he also was involved in the beat-down. "Stop! It wasn't me," the man yelled, according to Rodriguez.

The suspect tried to walk away but was knocked down along the side of a corner store at Front and Clearfield Streets.

A large crowd then gathered and urged the teens to pummel the suspect. The beating was captured on videotape by an outside security camera just down the street.

Physical evidence has been found at the scene linking the suspect to the crime. Police describe the incident as sadistic, and the young girl is in stable condition with a long road to recovery ahead. Thanks to the Philadelphia Inquirer for the article.