A former employee of the World Trade Center, who narrowly avoided the tragic events of September 11, 2001, has been brutally murdered by three teenagers, one of whom was only 12 years old at the time of the assault, according to authorities. Roger Borkum, a 64-year-old Long Island native, was discovered severely beaten just before midnight on October 19 in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Witnesses reported seeing three teenagers kicking and stomping on him, as per the arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Borkum was found with a pool of blood around his head and a trail of blood extending down the sidewalk, as stated in the arrest report. The assailants were observed rummaging through Borkum’s backpack and returned approximately 20 minutes later to continue their assault. The same individuals were seen attacking the victim three separate times, according to police documents.
Borkum, who was homeless and a widower at the time of the attack, succumbed to his injuries four days later. The three suspects, identified as Justin Curry, 13, Marcavion Lacey, 19, and Robert Pope, 17, were apprehended within hours of the assault. They were all charged with murder on November 20, as per a press release from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Curry was only 12 years old at the time of the attack. One of the suspects reportedly justified the attack on Borkum, a stranger to them, by claiming he had disrespected their deceased friends, although no further details were provided in the reports.
The sheriff’s office described the case as a tragic reminder of the young age of some offenders and the devastating impact their actions have on victims, their families, and the community. They urged parents and guardians to take an active role in their children’s lives and intervene before it’s too late.
Borkum, originally from Syosset, was a consultant on the 77th floor of Tower 1 at the World Trade Center. He was laid off in July 2001, narrowly avoiding the 9/11 attacks that claimed the lives of his coworkers just over two months later, according to his obituary. Borkum lost his wife, Celeste Borkum, in 2009 while she was on a humanitarian visit to Africa, although no details were provided on the cause of her death.