A man in Sandy Springs, Georgia, allegedly shoved two children riding bicycles into a fountain at a public park before attending a concert. Police arrested him mid-performance after reviewing surveillance video. The incident occurred on February 28 and appeared unprovoked, with no injuries reported to the children.
On the evening of February 28, two juveniles were riding their bicycles through City Springs Park at 1 Galambos Way in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a suburb north of Atlanta. According to a police press release, they reported being assaulted by an unidentified man who shoved them into a nearby fountain.
Surveillance video captured the encounter, showing Stephen Catterton walking along the path as the boys approached on their bikes. As the first boy passed, Catterton allegedly pushed him directly into the fountain. Moments later, he bumped the second boy, causing him to tumble toward the fountain on the opposite side of the sidewalk, nearly striking his head on a ledge. The video indicated the actions were unprovoked, and neither child sustained injuries.
Officers responded to the scene and identified Catterton, who had proceeded to the Byers Theater for a concert by the Irish band the High Kings. Midway through the performance, police entered the venue and escorted him outside. Body-camera footage recorded Catterton asking, "What for?" An officer replied, "For assaulting juveniles. We have it on video."
Catterton responded that the bicyclists "ran right at me." However, the officers countered, "No, sir, we watched the video. You can tell that to the judge."
Catterton was taken into custody and later bonded out of jail. Specific charges were not detailed in the release. The Sandy Springs police statement noted, "Pushing kids off bicycles is not only unacceptable, it's also a quick way to meet our officers." It added a cautionary remark: "If Mr. Catterton happens to be your neighbor, you may want to use caution."
