He thought it was a flash mob: Man caught up in attack outside Kroger says he feels lucky he wasn't hurt

MEMPHIS (WITI/CNN) -- It's a violent attack that was caught on camera -- and now, police in Memphis say they have arrested and charged four juveniles.

The attack happened in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store on Saturday, September 6th.



FOX6's sister station, WREG in Memphis reports a 15-year-old has been charged with aggravated riot and acting in concert: to wit aggravated assault.

WREG reports the teen was out on gun-related charges at the time of the attack. WREG says the teen wasn't enrolled in school, and his mother was previously charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

That teen is seen in the video wearing a lime green shirt.

WREG reports a 16-year-old is also charged with aggravated riot, and acting in concert: to wit aggravated assault. A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old are charged with aggravated riot.

This, on the same day we're hearing from a man who claims he was victimized in the attack.

The man says he recenlty moved to Memphis, and pulled out his cell phone on Saturday when he was on his way to Kroger, thinking he was recording the start of a flash mob.

"Being new to the city, I don't know where I can and where I can't go. As I was starting to get my camera open, a guy popped around a car and said 'hey bro' and just started swinging at me. And I tried to put my hands up, another guy started rushing at me. I took off running backwards through the parking lot," the man said.

Video captured on a Kroger employee's cell phone shows the man.

"If you watch the video they say 'oh they're jacking, they're getting that white guy.' I'm that white guy," the man said.

The man is seen in the video wearing shorts and a blue shirt -- pushing several teens out of the way and running into the store.

"I had run clear in through the door. I was at the fruit aisle. And I turned back to see if they were still following me. So immediately I pulled out my phone and called 911," the man said.

The man wasn't injured, but when he watched the video of the incident on Facebook, he says he was extremely frustrated.

"It was nonsense violence. I can say that for sure. It seemed very unprovoked. They weren't about anything, that it was fun for them. They were out having a good time. They were all smiling they were laughing," the man said.

Laughing, as they knocked out a 17-year-old Kroger employee -- kicking him in the head and throwing large pumpkins on him as he laid on the ground.

The man new to town says several Kroger employees were recording video of the incident -- but one man seen at the end of the video knocked out, actually stepped in to defend him and the 17-year-old Kroger employee knocked unconscious.

The man says he's grateful no one was seriously injured, but he says someone has to be held accountable for what happened.

"I felt like my life was threatened and I was lucky to get away," the man said.

CLICK HERE for more on this story via WREG.

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