near our light-rail stations. One of the things I heard at the SENA meeting
last week was a desire to be notified when incidents occur near the stations.
For those who have not seen this article, I have posted it here. I will be in
contact with the Metro Transit Police and follow-up with any updates on this
crime and others.
Please, be safe.
Jill Hentges
Metro Transit - Community Outreach
612-349-7318 direct
<email obscured>
Ex-transit reporter mugged at light-rail stop
Sarah Lemagie
Star Tribune
June 22, 2009
When Chuck Laszewski and his 75-year-old neighbor set out to watch the
Minnesota Twins play on Sunday afternoon, they were looking forward to great
seats and a nice Father's Day at the ball game.
They made it as far as the light-rail station.
Laszewski and his neighbor, Bobby Thomas, were fumbling with the ticket vending
machine at the Lake Street stop on Hiawatha Avenue when they were blindsided by
muggers just after a train left the platform around 12:45 p.m.
The attackers punched the men in the face, then chased them down the platform
when they fought back and tried to run away. The muggers, whom Laszewski
described as two men between the ages of 18 and 22, knocked down Thomas and
took his wallet.
"He actually took some tougher shots than I did," said Laszewski, 52.
"It's really unconscionable what happened to him."
Thomas was badly bruised and needed stitches in his mouth, while Laszewski made
it home to Falcon Heights with a black eye.
No suspects were in custody Monday evening, but Metro Transit police are
reviewing footage from security cameras as part of their investigation, said
Metro Transit spokesman Bob Gibbons.
Attacks such as Sunday's are fairly uncommon, he said. "The platforms are not a
very smart place to engage in criminal activity, because of the camera system
and the emergency telephones."
Laszewski, who wrote about transportation for the Pioneer Press before
switching to a job at a nonprofit group that advocates for public transit, said
Sunday was the first time he had tried to buy light-rail tickets. On Monday, he
laughed ruefully about the irony. "The minute I go use transit, I get popped."
But that won't stop him from boarding light rail again, he added. "We need it,
and I'll continue to ride it."
Video:
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/metro/minneapolis/Two_Men_Attacked_at_Mpls_Light_Rail_Station_june_22_2009