Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 16, 1990 TAG: 9003162891
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ALEXANDRIA LENGTH: Medium
An estimated 40 youths armed with baseball bats and other clubs stormed the Charles Houston Recreation Center Thursday night after arriving for a fight with youths from Alexandria, witnesses told officials.
Police are still trying to determine what prompted the fight, which involved Alexandria teens and youths from Temple Hills, Md.
"It was some type of territorial dispute," Lt. Joseph Hilleary said. "These guys were not from this area."
A teen, whose name has not been released pending notification of his family, was found face down in the street of the town house community when police arrived, officials said. He died of stab wounds at the Washington Hospital Center, officials said.
A few smaller fights broke out during the next two hours, police said.
A second male, whose name was also unavailable, was found lying in the road at a nearby intersection, officials said. He was taken to Alexandria Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition with stab wounds. Other minor injuries were also reported.
Employees of the center and the armed Maryland youths were involved in a standoff for about five minutes because the employees refused to allow the teens inside the center, officials said. A few of the youths managed to slip into the entrance of the building, but none went farther.
"We stood at the door and forced them out," a Houston Center employee said. "There were only about four or five members trying to hold back about 40 kids. (But) they didn't strike the staff members."
That employee said the armed youths said they were looking for the "up-town boys."
Housing Center employees, neighborhood residents and police officials said they know nothing about a group in Alexandria called the up-town boys.
by CNB