We can only describe this confrontation last week between a motorist and pedestrians in Highland Park as unfortunate for all involved. You can draw your own conclusions.
At 4:04 p.m. on July 21, a group of teenagers kicked and punched the passenger side of a black 2009 Audi sedan in the 5400 block of Hillcrest Avenue as it waited for a light to turn on to Mockingbird Lane.
Officers with the Highland Park Department of Public Safety stopped the vandals near the intersection of Hillcrest and Beverly Drive, where they were met by a counselor for Creative Solutions, a nonprofit group that helps at-risk teens and was operating a summer arts camp at SMU.
The 8-10 campers, who are all black, were walking to catch a bus after the camp when they claimed a driver yelled racial slurs and spat at them. Police said they retaliated by attacking the Audi, perhaps by accident. None of the kids admitted to damaging the car, and camp counselors took them home. The damage to the Audi included smudge marks and a small dent.
It’s important to note that this incident shouldn’t in diminish the reputation of Creative Solutions, an organization co-sponsored by the Dallas County Juvenile Department with an excellent 20-year track record of helping troubled teens stay off the streets and improve their behavior. We’ve reached out to officials there for comment, and will update this post if we hear back.
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In fact, Creative Solutions will wrap up its summer program this week with a stage performance and gallery opening at SMU that’s free and open to the public. You can get more information here.
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