A 64-year-old man who narrowly escaped death during the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center was brutally murdered in Florida by a trio of teenagers, according to reports.
According to a statement from the Jackson County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, three suspected ages 13, 16 and 19 were arrested in the death of Long Island native and former World Trade Center worker Roger Borkum.
According to the police report, officers responded to an aggravated battery call in October where responding officers found a “severely beaten” Borkum, who was taken to the hospital before dying from his injuries four days later.
Borkum was found lying on the ground near the doorway in a small recessed area of a building with injuries to his head, according to court records.
The suspects were identified as 13-year-old Justin Curry, 16-year-old Robert Pope and 19-year-old Marcavion Lacey, with the youngest being 12 at the time of the attack, according to official court documents.
“All three teens are charged with murder,” the statement said.
The three teenagers were found near the scene, arrested for aggravated battery and were also “involved in a robbery a few minutes after the battery,” according to court records.
“This case is a heartbreaking reminder of how young some offenders have become and how devastating the consequences are for victims, families, and the surrounding community,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Parents and guardians, get involved in your children’s lives….Take action before it’s too late.”
Borkum was born in Syosset and worked at the WTC as a consultant on the 77th floor of Tower 1, according to The New York Post.
He was let go in July 2001, meaning he “narrowly escaped death” months later in the 9/11 attacks where “his coworkers perished,” according to his obituary.
He lost his wife, Celeste, in 2009 while she was on a humanitarian visit to Africa, his obituary said, calling it “untimely” but did not elaborate on details of her death.