News. Corp Employee Gets A Slap In The Face
Ever wanted to walk up to a New York Post reporter and just slap them across the face? Well, according to this News Corp. memo, someone already has! A group of someones, actually. And not just any someones. Ruffians from a local public high school! Thankfully, this informative memo explains how the juvenile delinquent was reprimanded, and cautions staffers on how not to get hit in the face from here on out.
As you may have heard, one of our employees was recently assaulted on 47th Street, near the pedestrian tunnel that runs between 46th and 47th Streets (directly across the street from the “1211″ breezeway). The assault, in which the employee was hit in the face, occurred in the middle of the day. Thankfully, the injuries to our employee were minor, and his quick thinking and the response from our own security led to the detention of the suspect until police arrived on the scene. The assailant was a minor who is a student at a local public high school. Although the motive for the assault remains unclear, the assailant had a small kitchen utility knife in his possession, and therefore the incident had the potential to be much worse.
Inquiries made to the NYPD and the private security group responsible for the pedestrian tunnel revealed that other incidents attributed to students from the local high school have occurred, including: loitering by large numbers of students at lunchtime and after school, pot smoking and fights. It may be advisable to avoid this area, especially if you observe large numbers of students congregating.
Hear that? So watch out if you see a bunch of loitering high schoolers sitting around talking about last night’s American Idol. They’re probably just counting down the seconds until they can run up and give you an unsolicited knuckle sandwich. After the jump, security’s tips on how to avoid future assaults. Pay special attention to the one about keeping the volume on your personal CD player turned down. We haven’t seen a Discman since 1990, but what do we know—we went to public school.
Although the Rockefeller Center neighborhood is generally very safe, this incident should serve as a reminder of the need to be aware and protect yourself, regardless of how secure an area appears.
The following are some common sense personal security precautions to consider:
• You should always be aware and alert to your surroundings.
• Avoid becoming too distracted when using portable communication devices like cell phones and Blackberries.
• If you use a personal stereo (e.g., iPod, CD player) keep the volume low enough that you can still hear your surroundings.
• Avoid walking alone at night, and stay away from poorly lit and isolated areas.
• After leaving a subway station or getting off a bus, always check to insure you aren’t being followed.
• If someone appears suspicious to you, avoid him or her by maintaining distance, crossing the street or walking in the opposite direction. Report suspicious activity to the police; if you “See Something, Say Something.”