Police arrest suspect in connection to beating of 15-year-old in north Phoenix

[Coventina]

PHOENIX — It's been six months since 15-year-old Kevin Durkin was brutally attacked at a Valley fast-food restaurant. He lost seven teeth in total and had to undergo multiple surgeries and dozens of appointments.

The young man who attacked Kevin is only facing four months, or fewer, in prison.

“There hasn't been a single day that I don't wake up crying,” Brittney Durkin, Kevin's mom, said. “I know he's fine, I'm happy he's alive and I'm very grateful that he's alive. It could have been worse but it still hurts.”


It was at the end of May when Kevin and his buddies were leaving an In-N-Out burger in north Phoenix. While walking to their car, Kevin said other teenagers showed up and started hitting the car. When one of Kevin’s friends told them to stop, he said they attacked that friend.

Then when Kevin thought the fight was over and turned away, someone with brass knuckles came up behind Kevin and sucker-punched him. It knocked some of his teeth out as blood poured from his mouth.

https://www.12news.com/article/news/crime/teen-suspect-arrested-knocking-another-teenagers-teeth-out-brass-knuckles-phoenix/75-6989030e-6e31-4736-a9f2-ff2b6ee0ea68

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He'll spend 4 months then be back out to permanently maim or kill his next victim......

[Jim__]

1. 4 months based on a plea deal on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He was arrested on a separate domestic violence call.

I don't know what this plea deal involves, but I hope it involves some serious attempts at rehabilitation. 4 months in jail without any other consequences is likely to make him more violent rather than less violent.

[Johnny2X2X]

2. Violent crime needs to be taken way more seriously.

Violent assaults like this one with a deadly weapon (brass knuckles) absolutely deserve long prison sentences. This boy could have been killed and the guy who hit him is dangerous.

I think people don’t realize how assaults are handled by our legal system. What can be a life changing event for a victim can come with almost no consequences for the perpetrator. Getting sucker punched can cause trauma that can last a lifetime. And that trauma and fear can be compounded by knowing the assailant is out in a matter of hours and then faces little to no jail time long term.

This case went way beyond teenagers fighting and deserved a lot more justice for the victim.