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2nd suspect in bus beating ID'd

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A second teenager was charged in connection with a beating and robbery on-board a Broward County Transit bus that was caught on surveillance video.

Samuel Brown, 17, faced a judge Wednesday and was ordered to be held in juvenile detention.

Police released video just hours after Brown's arrest Tuesday showing four teenagers attacking a fellow rider on a county bus in September.

According to police, Tyreek Westby was on his way home from nearby Mavericks High School when he was jumped. The video showed at least three teenagers -- one wearing a white t-shirt, another in a red pullover, and a larger man wearing sunglasses -- board the bus and attack Westby.

Westby suffered a fractured nose and head injuries.

Gussie Smith, Brown's grandmother, told Local 10's Roger Lohse that her grandson was the boy in the red shirt seen sucker punching Westby in the video.

“It was terrible. It was awful," said Smith. "I was watching it and I'm like, 'Look at Sam, and he's right there and he's stomping and kicking like that.' What was going through his mind?"

Police said when the bus stopped, the man in the white t-shirt held the back door open while Brown hopped back on the bus and began pummeling Westby. The man then grabbed him and dragged Westby off the bus where he and the other two men continued the attack.

"He grabbed me off the bus and all the terror started happening. I started feeling the hits all over. I tried to get away. I can't take this. Time for me to escape or survive. I can't make it," said Westby.

Westby briefly escaped but the trio chased him down and continued beating him and kicking him. One of the men then leaned down and grabbed something from Westby before they left.

Police believe the trio spotted the Westby's Samsung Galaxy cellphone when they all boarded the bus. The men stole his cellphone and iPod.

After the attack, Westby tried getting back on the bus. Several witnesses attempted to pry the door open while others yelled for the driver to open the door.

Instead, the driver closed the doors and pulled away. Witnesses said the driver didn't call for help.

A spokeswoman for Broward Transit said the driver didn't realize the victim was trying to get back on the bus until after it was already in motion. According to the department's procedures, drivers aren't allowed the stop once the bus is moving.

But video showed the bus only moved about 20 feet and then stopped at a red light for more than 30 seconds.

A Good Samaritan picked up the teen and drove him home.

"I appreciate that. Don't know where I'd be if they hadn't done that," Westby said.

Police said they arrested David Reed, 17, last week in connection with the beating. Authorities said Reed and Brown are both charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm. Detectives said they are still trying to identify the other people on the tape.

Smith said her grandson, who is one month shy of his 18th birthday, changed after losing both of his parents to HIV within the past five years. She said he was arrested earlier this year for a similar crime. The judge ordered Brown held in juvenile detention.

"I just don't know what to say, but my condolences to the family of the boy, you know, that's all I can say," said Smith.


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