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Teen Arrested After Youth Camp Guard Attacked With Axe Save Email Print
Posted: 3:53 PM Aug 20, 2008
 Last Updated: 9:32 PM Aug 20, 2008
 Reporter: Bill Wilson
19 comments
A | A | A

A youth camp security guard was attacked with an axe during an attempt by two residents trying to runaway.

Markis Allen of Greenville was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. The 16-year-old was taken into custody yesterday after the attack at the Eckerd Youth Camp in Carteret County.

A 15-year-old juvenile was also charged with assaulting a second security guard.

Allen is in the county jail under a $20,000 bond.

Eckerd serves at-risk youth from 8 to 18-years-old through residential and community-based programs.
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Posted by: Sheila Location: Kenansville on Nov 10, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Yes I agree there are some problems at this camp. My daughter was there for 13 months. They have some good learning techniques in place although not enough staff to the ratio of kids. My daughter came back and reverted back to her old ways, so....
Posted by: justathought Location: newport, nc on Sep 10, 2008 at 02:31 AM
I have mixed feelings about this camp. As a former staff member, I have seen kids go through some terrible things while being a part of the 'standards' at E-Ma-Henwu. Since a single staff member can be in charge of 12 kids for 5-7 days in a row, they are unable to catch everything. As a result, kids have been abused...physically and sexually by other campers. The staff members do their best, but I know that these camps are run on a budget, and the kids suffer from having most of their interactions come from fellow campers. After all, the kid was with 4 other campers. Eckerd tries to hide everything 'in the woods' from the public, but I would encourage a reporter to spend a month with one group. You will see some hell that no kid should ever go through. Have questions about leadership? See what happened to Keith Cartwright and all of the rest of the staff that worked during his tenure. I'm not saying the kid was right in doing what he did, but I know e-ma-henwu is not a good place to be.
Posted by: That's right on Aug 22, 2008 at 01:38 PM
To As a Mother, Yeah, lets give him all the excuses we can. He probably should have attacked him with an ax instead of properly reporting it. I agree we should blame the victim for getting attacked (not). Keep coming up with more excuses for attacking him with an ax so we can let him loose in your neighborhood. Then when he decides to attack your child or someone you know, he will be ready to defend his actions with more excuses.
Posted by: WOLFGANG Location: CHOCOWINITY on Aug 22, 2008 at 08:48 AM
First lets hope the Security Guard is OK,and was not hurt. Camper 8/21/08 10:31 PM Great Job you changed a bad situtation into a good one,well done with work hard you will have a good life God Bless. Ted 8/21/08 05:20PM unfortunatly you are right. Some people are just rotten like Markis Allen. Who in my opinion plus the 15 year old should be punished to the max. by NC law. " Responsable For Your Unlawful Actions " Maybe they should send some of these kids to a real prison, and spend some time in the life of a real Criminal doing Life. Locked up 23 hours a day, and no hope of getting out. Real prison life, because some of them are headed down that path. Up North they call it the " SCARED STRAIGHT PROGRAM " Those criminal were real,real hard on those kids in the program. Why? so these kids will not end up like them. When I saw the program on TV it scared the dung out of me. Let me tell you kids and parents you to not want your kid one day doing hard time in a real adult prison.
Posted by: camper Location: greenville on Aug 21, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Camp Eckerd is a wonderful place for young teenage kids to go who are headed down the wrong road. Trust me I went there when I was 13 and it changed my life. I am now a very successful college gradute who has accomplished many goals and a strong minded indiviual who has been through a lot and can handle more than an average person. It's a place were the chiefs sit down and talk to you and everyone as a group and teach you how to handle different issues. When I was there all the staff were there because they wanted to make a difference in the kids life and really cared. No matter if it was in the middle of the night or any other time they were there. One of my camp memebers tried running away when I was there but didn't succeed, you have to think about it, it isn't called nine mile rd. for nothing. They have so many techniques dealing with problems.
Posted by: Ted Location: Greenville on Aug 21, 2008 at 06:20 PM
It seems to be all too common in today's world to label someone who commits a crime such as this as "sick" or say "he needs help". The truth is there are just rotten people in the world, and those rotten people started out as rotten kids. It's not a mental illness, it's just plain ole meanness!
Posted by: here Location: here on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Anybody who attacks someone with an ax just to get out of a youth camp has GOT to have some mental issues that need working out, if can be!!! This is not "NORMAL" behavior at any age group.
Posted by: As a Mother on Aug 21, 2008 at 02:53 PM
I have heard on the news several times about kids at youth camps getting abused. How do we know that this was not the case? Has anyone looked into the other side of the story. As a mother I would want to know what the other side of the story is. THe last time I checked here in America you are innocent until proven guilty. But not according to the comments that have been made about this story. Maybe someone should look at the background of the staff members involved in this case or if they have had issues prior to this. It is my understanding from what I have read that not all kids at this camp are violent. As far as the disease thing goes don't the campers have a physical prior to enrolling and just how often is it required to have a physical? I think a further investigation is needed by the local authorities before anyone should place blame. Just imagine if it had been your child!!!!!
Posted by: what? Location: washington on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:53 AM
a waiting period on buying an axe? are u serious
Posted by: lora Location: nb on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:07 AM
What was not mentioned in the story is the fact that Eckerd Youth Camp is designed as a residential theraputic program that addresses behavioral issues as well as educational needs. No wonder stuff like this would happen. BUT, if you know you're dealing w/kids w/issues and possible dangerous harmful youths, why in the world would they have access to an axe? Obviously this kid has 'issues' and they didn't just develop during 'camp'.
Posted by: Bon on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:01 AM
I am very familiar with the camp and the fantastic work it does with young people. I've known a few Chiefs as counslers are called. (And have known two who were the head Chief.)They Are NOT security guards!They sleep in open air platforms with the kids, working for 24 hours at a clip.In the winter they have canvas sides and a wood stove for 4 to a "cabin". They only have out houses at each camp. I want to know how long the attacking kids were at the camp. It is very rare any kids tries to leave - they go home for 4-5 days every few weeks!
Posted by: NObama Location: PGV on Aug 21, 2008 at 06:20 AM
Let's ban everbody from purchasing axes. . . while we are on this madness lets ban the use of bats, scissors, knives (including butter knives)________________ (fill in the blank)
Posted by: ??? Location: NC on Aug 20, 2008 at 10:43 PM
if there was a 7 day waiting period to buy an axe, or only police and military were allowed to have them, then crimes such as this would not happen.Also , it was an assualt ax, it could chop more than once without reloading.
Posted by: Steve Location: Kinston on Aug 20, 2008 at 06:55 PM
Let's bring back public floggings and stocks. If there is one thing today that humbles these thugs, it is beng "disrespected".
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 20, 2008 at 06:51 PM
that 15 year old does not have any diseases he is my family
Posted by: umm..... Location: nc on Aug 20, 2008 at 06:43 PM
"what kind of diseases he had..." ??? thats scarey
Posted by: Unknown Location: NC on Aug 20, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Yeah the guard is okay. He is friend a of mine and I spoke with him this afternoon. He has a laceration on his left ear and a cut on his hand from a scuffle with the 15 year old. His main concern is what kind of diseases that the 15 year old may have had. He is under a doctors care though.
Posted by: Steve Location: Chocowinity on Aug 20, 2008 at 04:52 PM
You have got to be kidding us right? A youth camp with gaurds and they have access to an AXE? I wonder if they offer fire arms classes to them so they don't shoot so many bystanders? Give me a break
Posted by: Jen Location: Choco on Aug 20, 2008 at 04:11 PM
I guess the security guard is ok???
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