A traditional Philadelphia parade celebrating the New Year ended in violence for a U.S. Army soldier who was soon to deploy to fight for his country in the Middle East. Instead, 19-year-old Army serviceman Austin Freni is in a Philadelphia hospital with his jaw wired, fighting to recover from his beating injuries sustained in an alleged attack following the famed Mummers New Year's Day parade Sunday night.
FOX29 in Philly reports Freni, who was home visiting family in Camden County, New Jersey, allegedly was "jumped" while leaving the Mummers Parade festivities at 3rd and Oregon in South Philly Sunday night.
The new station quotes his mother, Lori Freni, describing the alleged attack in an exclusive interview:
A "group of 10-15 guys walked by me (making) derogatory comments towards Austin's Army jacket," she told FOX29, saying one of the group then struck Austin before others piled on.
"Me and his girlfriend tried pulling them off and they hit us . We got hit in the face. She got thrown in the street," she added. "He's got to get plates put in his jaw and his mouth will be wired shut for the next eight weeks."
According to FOX29, Austin, home for the holidays from Fort Benning, Georgia, was supposed to deploy to the Middle East in less than two months.
