Police: Teen hit with own prosthetic leg

A high school senior was attacked over the weekend in Cape Girardeau by two teenagers, one of whom police said used the victim's own prosthetic leg against him.

The attack occurred around 1 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 921 Hackberry St., police spokesman Jason Selzer said.

Michael Williams, 18, was standing in the parking lot when a car pulled up with two teens inside. The teens got out and began harassing Williams, who is missing half his right arm and wears a prosthetic leg due to a birth defect.

"What's up, nubs?" one teen asked Williams, according to Selzer.

All Williams remembers is one of the accused attackers commenting that Williams wouldn't throw the first punch.

"The next thing I know I get blindsided in my right jaw and I black out," he said.

According to a probable-cause statement, Williams was punched in the face several times, and kicked in the ribs and face.

One attacker grabbed Williams' prosthetic leg and hit him with it, according to Selzer.

"What motivates someone to do that, I have no idea," he said.

Alexander S. Harris, 17, of 1204 Bloomfield St., was charged with felony third-degree assault.

The charge was classified as a hate crime because the assault was motivated by Williams' disability, according to the warrant. The classification makes what would otherwise be a misdemeanor a felony, assistant prosecuting attorney Jack Koester said.

The other teen, a 16-year-old boy, was cited into juvenile court for assault and curfew violation, according to Selzer.

Following the attack, witnesses took down the license plate of the vehicle in which the two teens fled. The vehicle was later spotted in town around 3 a.m. and the two were arrested, Selzer said.

Williams said he went to the hospital and received X-rays of his knees, chest, head and a CT scan. He suffered a swollen lip, jaw and neck but no broken bones.

He believes the attack was prompted by his disability.

"That's the only thing I can think of," Williams said, adding he knew one of the teens from school but did not know either of their names.

Harris, who was also charged with misdemeanor driving without a license, had bond set at $10,000.

This was the third attack this year in Cape Girardeau classified as a hate crime, Selzer said. Two other men were attacked in separate incidents because of their sexual preference.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127