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White House: Beating Vid 'Chilling'

Obama prepares to pitch Chitown Olympics as city reels from murder

By Mary Papenfuss, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 1, 2009 4:43 AM CDT

(Newser) – As Barack Obama prepares to make a pitch to hold the Olympics in his hometown, the White House is decrying a "chilling" videotaped beating death of a teenager in the same city. It's one of the most shocking things "you can ever see," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said yesterday. Four people have been arrested in the death of honor student Derrion Albert, who was fatally pummeled with wooden planks in the middle of a gang melee outside a city high school last week.

Albert's family is struggling to cope with the horrifying incident, but relatives are hopeful the graphic video may do some good. "It's time for healing to start getting our communities together so this won't happen to anyone else's child ever again," said Derrion's aunt.

[Images (5)]

[Videos (1)]

Katrina Flanagan signs a poster outside Fenger High School in the Roseland community of Chicago before a vigil for murdered student Derrion Albert. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Honor student Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death with wooden planks last week outside a Chicago high school.

Ava Johnson, mother of Eugene Riley, who has been charged with beating to death 16-year-old Derrion Albert , talks to the media as she holds her son's photo at Fenger High School in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Teenagers Silvonus Shannon, left, and Eugene Riley have been arrested on charges of first-degree murder in the beating death of 16-year-old honor student Derrion Albert. (AP Photo/Chicago Police)

Lanette McDonald holds a sign outside Christian Fenger Academy High School in Chicago in a rally against the gang violence that claimed the life of 16-year-old honor student Derrion Albert. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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WARNING: Extremely disturbing video shot by a student shows beating death of 16-year-old Derrion Albert. (igqbec3)

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White House: Beating Vid 'Chilling'