A former World Trade Center employee, who narrowly escaped the horrific events of September 11, 2001, was brutally killed by three teenagers, including a 12-year-old, according to law enforcement officials. Roger Borkum, a 64-year-old from Long Island, was found severely beaten shortly before midnight on October 19 in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Eyewitnesses reported seeing three teenagers brutally assaulting him, as indicated in the arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Borkum was discovered with a pool of blood around his head and a trail of blood leading down the sidewalk, as detailed in the arrest report. The attackers were seen rifling through Borkum’s backpack and returned about 20 minutes later to resume their assault. The same individuals were spotted assaulting the victim on three separate occasions, as per police records.
At the time of the attack, Borkum was homeless and a widower. He succumbed to his injuries four days later. The three suspects, identified as Justin Curry, 13, Marcavion Lacey, 19, and Robert Pope, 17, were arrested within hours of the assault. They were all charged with murder on November 20, according to 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 alleging 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.