Bosnians Protesting In St. Louis After Teens Murder Bosnian Man In Hammer Attack
Police have arrested two juvenile suspects and are still looking for two after a fatal hammer attack in St. Louis.
According to Fox 2 Now, police are investigating an overnight homicide in south St. Louis. It happened around 1:15 am Sunday on Gravois and Itaska, near Bevo Mill. A man, identified as Zemir Begic, 32, was struck on the head, face, mouth, and abdomen by juveniles with hammers. Begic, a Bosnian, was taken to a hospital where he died of his injuries.
Police report that Begic was in his vehicle when several juveniles approached the car on foot and started hitting the car with hammers. Begic got out of the vehicle and the suspects began to yell at him and hit him with the hammers. After fatally assaulting Begic with the hammers, the juveniles ran away leaving the man to die.
The police currently have two of the suspects in custody, who are 15 and 16 years old, but are still searching for two more juveniles suspected of participating in the attack. As a result of the attack, Bosnians took to the St. Louis streets to protest. The Gateway Pundit reports that Begic was a Bosnian living in Florida who was only in town to visit friends or family. St. Louis has a large and law-abiding Bosnian community that is now demanding answers. The community wants to know that they are safe and not the target of unwarranted attacks because of their nationality.
A number of news stations from the area have posted photos of the protests in the St. Louis streets near Bevo Mill. Here are a few of the photos circulating.
People following police orders to stay on sidewalk. One Bosnian says they won’t damage neighborhood they built. #Bevo pic.twitter.com/18RAscSYeY
— Michael Calhoun (@michaelcalhoun) December 1, 2014
Bosnians are protesting in Bevo. One woman tells me they fled genocide and are now being killed in St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/cFDE285Ugd — Michael Calhoun (@michaelcalhoun) December 1, 2014
Unlike Ferguson protestors, the Bosnian demonstrators are not resorting to violence or looting. However, one woman points out that her people fled genocide only to be killed here in St. Louis.
What do you think about the Bosnian protests? Do you think the attack was racially motivated since the Bevo Mill is home to many people of Bosnian decent?
