Police Dispatch

Disturbingly Early Exposure

West Sage Street, Feb. 12, 9:03 a.m.

A TV-influenced elementary school boy turned sexually violent before he even knew what sex was, according to a Pima County Sheriff's Department report.

The principal of Mesa Verde Elementary School, 1661 W. Sage St., reported that a female student had been assaulted the day before on the school bus. The principal said that according to the victim's parents, at one point during the bus ride, the boy who was assigned to the seat next to the victim unbuckled his seat belt, pinned the girl's arms to her sides and began thrusting his hips against her legs.

The morning of the report, the principal talked to the boy, who said that on the day of the incident, he had been teased by the victim and her brother during the bus ride. The girl's brother had threatened to put a grenade down the subject's pants, which made him angry, he said. He admitted pinning the girl down and eventually also admitted that he had gotten on top of her. The principal asked the boy to demonstrate what he did to the girl, and the boy grabbed the principal's hands and began sliding his hips along the principal's legs.

The reporting deputy interviewed the boy and asked him if he had seen anyone do what he did on the bus to anyone else. Yes, the boy answered--he saw a naked man doing that to a naked woman on TV at his dad's house. Asked if he had ever done that to anyone else, he stated no (except, of course, to the principal, who had asked him to).


Victimized Cactus

North Bowes Road, Feb. 9, 9:01 a.m.

An unfortunate saguaro was involved in a tragic role reversal when it was stuck repeatedly by a human, a PCSD report showed.

A sheriff's deputy, acting as a school-resources officer, was called regarding a vandalism incident just north of Sabino High School, at 5500 N. Bowes Road. At that location, which featured a large, metal structure--apparently a storage unit--the deputy made contact with the property owner, who brought the deputy to a large saguaro cactus near the storage unit. The cactus had been mutilated, apparently by pieces of scrap metal, which were now stuck into the cactus in approximately 15 different places.

The property owner provided no leads on who could have caused the damage, but photos were taken in case a possible perpetrator was found.

There was no evidence that the vandal had been poked, pierced, scratched or provoked by the saguaro in any way.