Crime

Caught on Video: WWII Vet Says Nobody Helped After He Was Carjacked

WWII Vet Says Nobody Helped After He Was Carjacked | Aaron Brantley

AP

DETROIT — A World War II veteran said nobody helped him in the minutes after he was attacked and carjacked during daylight at a busy Detroit gas station and he had to crawl across a concrete parking lot to get help.

A roughly four-minute surveillance video shows 86-year-old Aaron Brantley struggling to get from the fuel pump to the gas station’s door as people walked and drove by him Wednesday morning. The video was first obtained by the Detroit Free Press.

 

Brantley told The Associated Press said several people passed by him as he crawled, unable to walk because his leg was broken in the attack. The carjacker knocked Brantley down, took his keys and drove off in his car about 10:40 a.m.

“I was trying to go in … and see if somebody could call the police and an ambulance because I couldn’t stand. I had to crawl — I tried two or three times to get up,” Brantley said Saturday. He said he was on way home from Bible study when he stopped to put gas in his 2010 Chrysler 200, which he recently bought to replace another car that had been stolen.

WWII Vet Says Nobody Helped After He Was Carjacked | Aaron Brantley

Detroit Free-Press

“People were passing me just like I wasn’t there. … I was crawling and they just walk by me like I’m not there,” he said.

Brantley said as he approached the building, he asked a woman to open the door for him. He said at first it appeared she wasn’t going to but she did and then kept walking. He found it distressing that nobody helped him.

“Any time a person is crawling on the ground, you know something happened to them,” Brantley said.

WWII Vet Says Nobody Helped After He Was Carjacked | Aaron Brantley

AP

Station manager Haissam Jaber said he didn’t see the attack but called 911 after a customer alerted him. As Brantley sat on rock salt, waiting for an ambulance to come, he offered money to a stranger to drive him to his house a few blocks away. The customer refused the money and drove Brantley home, where an ambulance took him to the hospital.

Jaber said he also gave police another surveillance video from just before the carjacking that shows Brantley coming in to pay the cashier. A man looked at Brantley and left without buying anything, then headed in the direction from which the carjacker approached Brantley and his car, Jaber said.

 

Jaber said violent crime isn’t common at the gas station, which is next to the University of Detroit Mercy campus. He said there was a carjacking about four months ago, but it happened at 1 a.m. and nobody was attacked.

Detroit Police spokeswoman Sgt. Eren Stephens said Saturday there have been no arrests in the case. The Free Press reported that a man later found Brantley‘s phone number in his Bible on the stolen car’s front seat and called him. The car had been abandoned hours later and a few miles away with its wheels and radio missing.

Brantley, who said he has eight children and chuckled after adding “about 18 grandchildren,” said people wonder how he can maintain a sense of humor after his experience.

“I‘m just glad I’m still living,” said Brantley, who retired after a 31-year career at Chrysler as a welder. “Nowadays, people are doing away with you when they do things like that.”

Comments (117)

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  • RoughandReady
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:28am

    My sincere apology to Mr. Bentley and thanks for the words of ShamanWorld. I am horrified that our society has come to this. When young blacks have idles like Al Sharpton, Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson, and BHO .. what we just witnessed is the result. When people like Allen West and Herman Cain in addition to hundreds of other African-Americans or blacks or whatever is politically correct this week are treated like “Uncle Toms” instead of the heros they really are, no wonder incidents of this nature occur. This President has set race relations in this country back 100 years. All my nearly 70 years of life, I have worked very hard to be an American and respect other Americans regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or country of origin. Now, I find myself stero-typing all blacks and, frankly, I am VERY sad to say that I am not sure I would have stopped and help Mr., Brantley and only because he was black. I have become a racist in less than 4 years … what a shame!

    Report Post »  
  • Rodster
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:24am

    No surprise really. There was a great article written on The Economic Collapse Blog and it mentioned Detroit as a prime example as how our once thriving cities are decaying from within and it correlates to the state of America as a whole.

    http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/10-signs-that-america-is-decomposing-right-in-front-of-our-eyes

    Report Post »  
    • old white guy
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:38am

      it happened in detroit do we need to know more?

      Report Post »  
    • USAF2003
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:52am

      There are way too many of these stories anymore and they are seriously starting to make me sick to my stomach. What The F is wrong with us America? Wake the piss up! We need to STOP being COWARDS and start to show some courage and fight against evil. This is another good reason ALWAYS be armed. The govt ain’t gona be there when you need them most.

      Report Post »  
    • Macman1138
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:55am

      It’s a shame that anyone should be car jacked, much less one of our WW 2 vets.
      But it’s Detroit, full of groidial goodness. This and worse happens by the minute up there.

      Report Post » Macman1138  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:39am

      It is turning inot Escape New York…only in Detroit. Where’s a Robocop when you need one?

      In all reality, this is the end result of Government meddling and Government welfare. It will spread like a cancer and it is going to spread quickly.

      Justifiiable homicides will be an everyday common occurance soon. Better stock up on ammo.

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • rambosharley
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:08am

      That sweet man needs to move to the south, GET OUT OF DETROIT! I don’t understand for the life of me how someone could just walk by an old man crawling on cold hard concrete. I am so heartbroken for this country and what it has become.

      Report Post »  
    • felix
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:30am

      communist,demothug run city/state, other thug cities in the same shape

      Report Post »  
    • SpankDaMonkey
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:17am

      .
      See what happens when you vote Democrat. The Black American Family has been destroyed. But, they’ll keep voting their masters back into office, with the promise of more free cheese……..

      You Get What You Vote For………………

      Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • stumpy68
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:49am

      There is something about large cities i dont know
      if they attract liberals and leaches or if living in them rots your brain

      Report Post » stumpy68  
    • 2theADDLED
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:57am

      The result of a litigious society we now live in no one will dare get involved for fear of a lawsuit.
      And think about it Ol Barry is taking advice from ex Governor Granholmn implementing everything she tried in Michigan.

      Report Post »  
    • toto
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:16pm

      Detroit is the poster child for what happens when Democrats run cities.

      Report Post »  
    • AzDebi
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:07pm

      What did the gentleman say about being ignored? He said, “I’m glad to be alive”…NOW…there’s the result of the Bible study that he attended. There is NO SALVATION in hatred. God Bless him and I hope he moves out of Detroit! I hate to imagine the fate of the old and very young and the disabled when the economic collapse does come…it is truly frightening! If I’m not mistaken, all of the people who passed him by were also black…so…this isn’t a racial thing…it is an “I Don’t Care” THING! Sad…truly heart breaking!

      Report Post » AzDebi  
    • pavepaws
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:06pm

      Funny there appears to be no description of the attacker. It is Detroit though. Probably can’t expect much.

      Report Post »  
    • Delta D-5-3
      Posted on February 27, 2012 at 3:57pm

      I use to live in Detroit. You people would not believe what happens there DAILY that NEVER gets reported in the MSM. You have to be armed, or you WILL BE a victim!! It‘s almost like what you see in the Middle East and i’m NOT kidding. Most don‘t venture out in the dark as you may be waiting an hour or more for LEO’s after your mugged, robbed, raped, or shot. After returning home from Desert Storm, I was involved in an incident where 3 thugs assumed I was a “soft” target. Well, i’m not and they found out the hard way. Long story short, 2 of them were hospitalized and the 3rd is in a wheelchair for life. I was cleared almost immediately and never lost my license to carry. I moved a year later to a more “friendly” state and still carry everyday because if you don’t, you may be the next victim in the next video on the Blaze. God bless and carry one……….

      Report Post » Delta D-5-3  
    • Delta D-5-3
      Posted on February 27, 2012 at 4:02pm

      Opps……meant to write “carry on”…….

      Report Post » Delta D-5-3  
    • yiska8
      Posted on February 27, 2012 at 4:55pm

      This is OBAMA’s AMERICA. Watch old war footage from Russia or parts of war torn Europe. People would commonly do this. Just walk right past someone in need of help and not care. This is New Fallujah (Detroit). All the Chrysler commercials with catchy Eminem beat, should also portray how their product is so well loved by thieves. This nice old man now has to find a third car to drive, now that a worthless thug stole his second ride in a row. He fought for us and was just coming from Bible study and this is how he is treated whose future he fought for. People need to be armed. Thieves in Obama‘s America are like domestic terrorists these days and it’s much worse because of this economic depression. So glad this didn’t happen in front of me. C’mon New Fallujans, an old man? Really, y‘all couldn’t stop to help an old man crawling on the street? Frankly in this situation, I wouldn’t know who was more worthy of a bullet in their *ss, the onlookers doing nothing to help or the thief.

      Report Post » yiska8  
  • ShamanWorld
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:50am

    I‘m so sick of seeing Detroit and Chicago’s youth becoming so destructive. I try to tell other young blacks that we are doing exactly what the racists want us to do.Kill ourselves off, or end up in jail where we cannot procreate, which make so our numbers dwindle even more.Believe it or not though,young blacks are waking up to the fact that we cannot let the hard work of our fore-fathers and mothers go to waste. All the suffering they went through cannot be in vain It will start by changing the gangsta rap culture….

    Report Post » ShamanWorld  
    • grandmaof5
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:10am

      I hope you are correct in your observation as it breaks my heart to see so many young men and women’s lives go to waste. We, as Americans, owe the young people in this country a chance to succeed (if they are willing to work hard to achieve it) by educating them so they have a future. God bless our veterans, men and women serving our country, our firefighters, policemen/women and border patrol, and keep them safe. I certainly hope Mr. Brantley makes a full recovery and lives a safe and healthy life; and whoever did this is soon behind bars.

      Report Post »  
    • Macman1138
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:58am

      They were doing what blacks do all around the world.
      Sorry to be so blunt but it’s the truth.
      If if were any were any different, Motor City would be a shiny city for all to see.
      This is not the case.

      Report Post » Macman1138  
    • tearin4242
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:00am

      The article shows a black man, but never says he was car jacked by a black man.

      Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:25am

      The article said “Detroit”. It‘s a high probability it was Obama’s people.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:42am

      @Grandmaof5 – I agree with you across the board.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 10:06am

      Tearin4242 – the article did not say they were black men, but if they had been white, it would have been in the headline. Ya think?

      The country is imploding in more ways than economically.

      Report Post »  
    • Just in time
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:24pm

      Thanks for saying it bothers you.

      Report Post »  
    • Delta D-5-3
      Posted on February 27, 2012 at 4:09pm

      @ShamanWorld…It’s NOT just blacks. I‘ve seen the worst in people who weren’t people of color, trust me. It’s a black, white, asian, blue, purple, and pink problem in the cities. It’s not getting any better and in fact, with the OWS protests and other leftists getting ready for massive protests this spring, it’s going to get A LOT worse. I hope i’m wrong, but I don’t think I am………

      Report Post » Delta D-5-3  
  • Bill Rowland
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:14am

    It‘s sad that someone wasn’t concerned enough to call 911 on their government furnished cell phone.
    They didn’t even have to get involved just call the police. Such a simple act that could have saved this poor hero some pain.

    OMG

    Report Post »  
    • Mr. Oshawott
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:24am

      @Bill Rowland

      Oh, yes, it was really grueling seeing so many people in that video literally PASSING BY the elderly person, a WORLD WAR II Veteran, acting as if he wasn’t even there! Those people that willingly ignored Aaron Brantley and refused to call help ought to LIVE WITH THEIR SHAME! I thank Aaron Brantley for his service in World War II.

      Report Post » Mr. Oshawott  
  • ShyLow
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:59am

    During Ben Henderson’s title match at UFC 144…Joe Rogan brought up CHURCH…144 is a biblical number that doesn’t get much attention…The number of Saints are 144,000…God created the world in 144 hours…Ben Henderson is the Tim Tebow of MMA…You should check out his bible verse tatoo…I am the Last High Priest of the God of Abraham…Just ask God for my credentials… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SMcF4qvcSM

    Report Post » ShyLow  
  • wntsmallgov
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:42am

    just shows the state of our values in this country. No one wants to get involved and do the right thing.
    Time to draw the line people and make a stand on what our values are.

    Report Post » wntsmallgov  
  • Lone Ranger
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:30am

    How’s that gun ban working for you, Detroit?

    Report Post » Lone Ranger  
  • bigdaddyt46
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:25am

    this is exactly the reason i moved out of a big city and moved to a small prison city(5 prisons in town). almost ZERO crime here. after being robbed and beat up a dozen+ times i had enough. it took me a long time to realize this but the hard cold fact is if you live in a big city and in the part that is heavy populated by minorities (blacks, hispanics) high crime rate. live in the part of the city(or a small town or city) with low to 0 minorities almost no crime. these are hard cold facts.

    living in a small prison city is great with no worries. if a couple do break out of prison so what??? what do you think they’re gonna do?? hang around, check real estate trends??? bs they’re gone!!!! that’s the whole idea of breaking out of prison. to get away as far as you can.

    Report Post » bigdaddyt46  
    • burnteye86
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:37am

      One of them may come to your house wanting you to drive him out of town. (But I‘m sure you’ve already thought of that and have a special greeting waiting for him).

      Report Post » burnteye86  
    • bigdaddyt46
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:40am

      actually burnt when a prison break does happen here there are announcements made to lock you doors garages and cars. but i get your point and yep you got it right my answer would be mom go get my rifle and .357 :D

      Report Post » bigdaddyt46  
    • Darlie
      Posted on February 27, 2012 at 12:51am

      I don’t know how long your prison town has had all those prisons, but we moved out of one that had 7. Turns out when your little community decides to make money by inviting prisoners to live there the prisoners families move there, too. Then, you get to see what sorry seed they came from and the town begins to experience an expotential spike in crime-especially toward the end of the welfare check month.

      Report Post »  
  • politicaljules
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:12am

    Mr. Brantley, The country owes you so much more than what you have experienced. Gosh I wish there was something we could all do to right this wrong, but I do not know what it is. Unity perhaps? Restoring Courage or love? Some days I feel it will never turn around. I just read another report out of Detroit about a baby that was killed after a brawl at a baby shower. Have we lost all humanity? Praying for you sir and praying for Detroit.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:17am

      Wish I was there to help him.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • wntsmallgov
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:43am

      @ snow,
      I think there were alot of people wishing they could help. Then again the sign of an unarmed society.

      Report Post » wntsmallgov  
    • furnatic
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:06am

      Agree’d! The least any of you can do is help this man in his time of need. Guys like this are the reason why we’re not under the banner of the third reich.

      Report Post » furnatic  
  • Grannie4news
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:12am

    It is a sad state of affairs when you see people too busy and with no compassion for the suffering of others. Thank you sir, for your service to our country.

    Report Post » Grannie4news  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:18am

      I know, there was a report a while back on the Blaze where a man was stabbed to death; no one called an ambulance or tried to stop the bleeding, they just stood around and took videos with their phones while he died.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Robert-CA
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:00am

    Don’t worry guys Al Sharpton is on the case .
    it‘s so sad that we’re a part of a society that is losing respect to others , refusing to help others & loosing common sense .
    Mr Brantley thank you for serving your country .

    Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • yiska8
      Posted on February 27, 2012 at 5:21pm

      Old Al is a little quiet on this one. Must be searching for the evil white man or the GOP is at fault angle before he goes on a rant again. I’m sure he owns rental properties in the economically war torn region of what was once Detroit, so why draw bad publicity? I wish I had been there to help this elderly gentleman out. Even sadder is the fact that it looked like this was black on black crime yet again.

      Report Post » yiska8  
  • SHOWMESTATEGUY
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:57am

    Hey Buddy, thank you for your service during WWII, you did this country a favor. Now do yourself a favor and get the heck out of Detroit.

    Report Post »  
  • bullcrapbuster
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:52am

    Poeple probably thought that he was drunk or stoned and didn’t care enough to check it out.

    Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:43am

    “Jaber said violent crime isn’t common at the gas station, which is next to the University of Detroit Mercy campus. He said there was a carjacking about four months ago, but it happened at 1 a.m. and nobody was attacked.”

    Excuse me but, if someone carjacks my car I consider it an attack on my person whether it’s 10:30 am OR 1 am. What an insensitive idiot.

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • Marsh626
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:31am

    Detroit is a glimpse of the 3rd world socialist cesspool the Left is trying to create worldwide.

    Report Post »  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:37am

      And Maxine Waters calls Republicans “demons”. And wants the Tea Party to “go the he11 and is willing to get them there”. If this had happened with Tea Party people around this man would have been helped immediately.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:23am

    When I saw this article (before I read it) I thought, “Oh, man, the race card is going to be played to the max on this one”. Then I read that it happened in Detroit. Nothing to see here; move along, completely normal in a Progressive commie socialist society.

    What was that last thing said in that famous movie? “It’s Chinatown”? Well, It’s Detroit!
    I wonder what Maxine Waters is going to say about this?

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:33am

      Don’t get me wrong. I’ve helped people in the same situation before. It just wasn’t Detroit. And I’ll never go to Detroit.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:47am

      But I thought Obama was giving OBAMA BUCKS, so why is anyone wanting in Detroit?

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • Texas.7
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:57am

    What a sad story, horrifying for the man, as well as as a sign of the times. We need God to wake this country up.

    Report Post »  
    • elihu
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:33am

      I believe that God IS goint to wake this country up; but not in a way that will be pleasing to most…

      Report Post » elihu  
  • Captain Crunch
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:46am

    I avoid Detroit at all costs. I wanted to go to a semi-professional violinist contest for minority musicians. Would have cost me and my wife $75.00 each to get in. (I’m a member of the white ******* minority) When I found out it was located at inner city Detroit I quickly changed my mind. Sorry folks, I refuse to willingly put myself in danger. They need to put a 30 foot double security fence with razor wire and guard towers around that city…to keep innocent people out.

    Report Post »  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:57am

      They added another word to the automated screening program. Maybe I’ll graduate to the “saltine” minority

      Report Post »  
    • KangarooJack
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:15am

      Why on earth am I thinking of some boy in a Navy outfit? Anyway I too am unable to post a ******* reference. GO figure?

      Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • lukerw
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:37am

    This is a problem… with All Major Cities: increased population density leads to individual isolation (limit of empathy)!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:36am

    Have we become China?? I am so thankful that I don’t live in a area where this sort of thing happens.
    But is it coming soon?? Where was this man’s good samaritan?? Nowhere!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
  • Darlie
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:33am

    I’m so glad he survived this crime. My WW2 veteran uncle had hoodlums break into his house and beat him so badly he died from the aftereffects pf his injuries within a few months. They didn’t only hurt his body, they robbed him of his dignity. May God bless this hero.

    Report Post »  
  • Auntie izlam
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:23am

    All the disgusting excuses for human beings who didn’t help this man are despicable. I hope karma bites them in the butt someday so they can feel what it’s like to be in distress and be completely ignored.

    Report Post »  
  • 9635kari
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:23am

    Can we allow Detroit to secede from the Union? We can throw several other cities also.

    Report Post »  
  • conservativewoman
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:21am

    This is secularism in action. How do you not help someone in this condition. This is what goes on in China. Non-believers are always talking about how they have morals, but it is interesting that we rarely see any demonstrated.

    Report Post » conservativewoman  
    • abbygirl1994
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:42am

      It is disgusting to see that black people don’t even help their own!!

      Report Post » abbygirl1994  
    • chips1
      Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:40am

      I sure would like to see pictures of the carjacker AND pictures of the people that walked by without helping.

      Report Post »  
  • KangarooJack
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:11am

    He’s lucky. Review crime stats in Detroit. Spikes at the 3/4th day of the month…when the Social Security checks come in the mail. PLEASE, Michigan is a really great State…just not some parts.

    Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • elihu
    Posted on February 26, 2012 at 2:31am

    Amen to that! I sat in shock watching all the passers-by barely paying any attention to him. I pray they catch that hi-jacker.

    Report Post » elihu  
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