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Inset: Stephen Catterton. Background: Surveillance video from when Catterton allegedly shoved two kids on bicycles into a fountain at City Springs Park in Sandy Springs, Georgia (Sandy Springs police).
In a startling incident at a Georgia park, a man allegedly shoved two young cyclists into a fountain before casually attending a concert. The man, later identified as Stephen Catterton, was apprehended by police while enjoying the event.
The bizarre series of events unfolded on the evening of February 28 in Sandy Springs, a city just north of Atlanta. According to a press release from the Sandy Springs police, officers were called to City Springs Park on 1 Galambos Way after two juveniles reported being assaulted. The children, who were riding their bicycles through the park, claimed an unknown man pushed them into a fountain.
The unsettling incident was caught on video, which seems to corroborate the boys’ accounts. The footage shows Catterton walking as the children approach on their bikes. As one cyclist passes by, Catterton allegedly pushes him into the water. He then appears to nudge the second child, causing him to veer toward the fountain and narrowly miss injuring himself on a nearby ledge.
Thankfully, neither of the boys sustained injuries in the altercation, which seemed entirely unprovoked. Officers quickly identified Catterton as the suspect and discovered that he had moved on to attend a concert by the Irish band, The High Kings, at the Byers Theater. In a dramatic turn, police entered the theater mid-performance to escort Catterton outside, leading to his arrest.
Officers identified Catterton as the suspect and learned he was attending the concert by the Irish band the High Kings at the Byers Theater. Cops walked in mid-concert and escorted Catterton outside.
They told him he was under arrest.
“What for?” Catterton asked, according to body-camera video.
“For assaulting juveniles,” an officer responded. “We have it on video.”
Catterton claimed the bicyclists “ran right at me.”
Cops weren’t having it.
“No, sir, we watched the video,” the officers said. “You can tell that to the judge.”
Officers took Catterton to jail. He has since bonded out. Police did not specify the charges filed against him.
“Pushing kids off bicycles is not only unacceptable, it’s also a quick way to meet our officers,” the press release said. “If Mr. Catterton happens to be your neighbor, you may want to use caution.”