Photo by eddzis, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Just days after a teen punched a cop in the face and a group of teens attacked a lifeguard at McCarren Park Pool, more teenage violence  struck the Williamsburg park last week when a 16-year-old was stabbed and beaten close to death by a group of other high schoolers.

A Walk in the Park reported that the victim, whom most news sources are identifying  only as Carlos to avoid a repeat of the incident, was chased from a soccer field around the park by a group of about eight teens just before 9:30 p.m. last Friday. The group surrounded him by a baseball field and began their attack.

A couple was seated on a bench right next to the beating. “They were swinging baseball bats, punching him and throwing things. They hit him with a bottle. It was the whole group, everybody was getting their punches in. They seemed hell bent on killing this kid,” one of the witnesses told A Walk in the Park.

The witness called 911, and the attackers fled when they were told the police were coming. Carlos was attacked twice more by onlookers who pretended to come to his aid, however, before he was finally left alone, other witnesses said. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he received 27 stitches and four staples in his head.

Three men have since been arrested for the attack: Seth Martinez, 16, and Kenny Nunez, 15, and Argenis Zarzuela, 18. Each has been charged with attempted murder, gang assault, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing. They are due in court today.

The attack has sparked criticism from community members, including Carlos’s mother, for the park’s lack of police. Both NYC Parks and the NYPD  have no officers assigned to the park — or, for that matter, almost all other parks — as permanent posts.

“There’s not enough protection in that park,” Carlos’s mother told WPIX.  “And thanks be to God, it’s a miracle from God that he made it.”

You and the kids may be dyed-in-the-wool urbanites—but come summer, that doesn’t mean that you don’t crave cooling ocean breezes and sand between your toes, yearn for the chance to break out binoculars (you just have to find them first) and gaze up at the stars, and desperately want to set up a tent somewhere other than your coop’s living room. Here’s how you can get out of your walk-up and into the NYC “wilderness” as soon as the weather warms.

BEACHES

BEACH MOST LIKELY TO INSPIRE A RAMONES SONG

Rockaway Beach | Queens

“It’s not hard, not too far to reach” crooned the Ramones in their 1977 song about this urban coastline which stretches for miles along the Rockaway Peninsula. Near 103rd Street, there is a wider swath of beach for the taking and past 73rd Street, the packed sand gives way to a quieter, dune-studded conservation area (with seven playgrounds and the city’s only surfing zone sprinkled in-between). Don’t miss July’s 17th Annual Sandcastle Contest for creative kid-builders. nycgovparks.org

BEACH BOARDWALK WITH A RETRO FEEL

Point Pleasant Beach | New Jersey

On this slice of the Jersey shore, you’ll find a mile-long boardwalk (dubbed Jenkinson’s) with an old-timey, but not-too-cheesy, vibe. Buff lifeguards cruise the beach on those groovy dune buggies, candy apples practically sell themselves and mini golfers roam free. jenkinsons.com

KITSCHIEST BEACH & BOARDWALK

Coney Island | Brooklyn

Embrace this end-of-the-line (subway, that is) beauty in all of its in-your-face glory. Ride the historic, wooden Cyclone coaster or catch a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game at MCU Park. Or start off summer with a splash by donning appropriate Ariel attire and marching in the Annual Mermaid Parade on Saturday, June 23 at 2pm. You could also just people watch while enjoying a hot dog and crinkle-cut fries at the original Surf Avenue location of Nathan’s Famous. coneyislandfunguide.com

IF KITSCHY IS NOT YOUR THING

Manhattan Beach Park | Brooklyn

Originally built as an exclusive resort for wealthy bathers, Manhattan Beach features barbecuing areas, basketball, handball, volleyball and tennis courts, baseball diamonds and playgrounds. It also proves to be a calmer and quieter alternative to its Coney Island neighbor. In June, kids will delight in watching all of the horseshoe crabs emerge from the Atlantic Ocean as they lay their eggs on the beach. nycgovparks.org

SHELLIEST BEACH

Sandy Hook | New Jersey

A mere 40-minute ride from NYC on the SeaStreak Ferry, this 1,665-acre barrier peninsula offers views of the Manhattan skyline, free tours of its lighthouse—the oldest operating one in the country—and miles of sandy shores perfect for beachcombing. sandy-hook.com

To read the full article at New York Family Magazine click here.