August 23rd, 2013
02:37 AM ET

WWII vet, 88, beaten to death by teens

An 88-year-old World War II veteran was brutally beaten and left for dead by two teens outside a lounge in Spokane, Washington, where he loved to go play pool.

The motive? Police don't have one. The teens appeared to have picked him at random, authorities say.

Delbert Belton, a retired aluminum company worker, served in the Pacific. There, friends say, he took a bullet in the leg during the Battle of Okinawa.

FULL STORY

Filed under: Crime • U.S.
soundoff (166 Responses)
  1. Sick & Tired of the BS

    Where's Jackson now?? Where's Sharpton now?? Why aren't they out telling the white people how wrong it is for killing the black people...oh wait, u can't....cuz it's black people out there killing old people, babies, children, people sitting INSIDE their homes, people walking down the street....INNOCENT PEOPLE !!!! Where's ur riots to stop the blacks from killing?? Where's ur marches to stop the blacks from killing?? Where's the JUSTICE for all these INNOCENT people???

    August 24, 2013 at 2:07 pm | Report abuse |
    • lanie berrios

      I agree 100%. The white Australian College student killed by black kids just because they wanted to see what it felt like, or the 18 month shot in the face by black kids trying to rob his mother. I am soooo sick of the reverse prejudice !!!!!

      August 24, 2013 at 2:27 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      I have heard both Sharpton and Jackson talk about black on black crime before. I'm sorry you missed those speeches.
      And I don't watch/listen to either of them on a regular basis, but I have heard them speak of it.

      August 25, 2013 at 4:16 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Al Sharpton

    He was 88. So he probly woulda lived only a couple more years. So they should give each of them boys 2 years in jail and call it even.

    August 24, 2013 at 5:15 pm | Report abuse |
  3. saywhat

    This was a sickening crime and senseless. The perps deserve the maximum punishment.
    Was it a hate crime or a random killing for the sake of killing someone has yet to be determined?
    Delbert did not deserve to die like this, may he rest in peace.

    August 24, 2013 at 6:44 pm | Report abuse |
  4. chrissy

    I agree @ saywhat! No matter what race it is still tragic! And its really sad that this senseless act is being used to fit some bigoted agenda! We need to face the problem of the lack of respect that ppl find acceptable in todays youth of ALL races!!

    August 24, 2013 at 7:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      So, which is worse? accusations of racial motivation? or of a bigoted agenda? Are not they both flavored with prejudice??

      August 27, 2013 at 1:49 am | Report abuse |
  5. BOMBO

    I would not go as far as to call this a racially motivated killing. I don't know whether it was or wasn't. So why was it acceptable for Sharpton and his ilk to call the Martin killing racially motivated?

    August 24, 2013 at 8:13 pm | Report abuse |
    • Larry

      Because Sharpton never met a half-truth he didn't lie about. And why should he talk about this? It wasn't racially motivated.

      August 24, 2013 at 8:44 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Larry

    Surprised you know what they are you murdering simp.

    August 24, 2013 at 9:16 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Scott

    t's a crying shame our country has come to this! Where's our justice system. After all the media coverage of the Zimmerman case where's the media now where's Jessie and big al? Does Obama think the accused look like his son. Jessie and Al are a waste of good air! This country needs to get back to it's heritage God Guns and Family! Bring back public execution and this stuff would stop hold people accountable don't just slap them on the wrist! An eye for an eye

    August 24, 2013 at 10:02 pm | Report abuse |
  8. chrissy

    I dont think it was either @ BOMBO, i was referring to several posts on here that implyed that it was. And i never said it was acceptable on the zimmerman case either! My personal opinion is what i stated previously and that is todays youth just have no respect for anyone or anything! Im sure my dad woulda kicked my butt if i just looked at an adult wrong, so i cant even imagine what wouldve happened had i acted the way they do today!

    August 24, 2013 at 10:13 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Quiet 2 Long

    I live in Washington State near Ft Lewis and McCord AFB. I am not in the military however, my father served in the AF for 22 years. After hearing of this travesty this morning, I was disqusted and appalled. As recent events in our country have shown, if this situation was 2 white teens attacking a black person, the media would have been all over it. In this instance of the 2 black teens attacking the white man, NO CONGRESSIONAL LEADER FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON HAS SAID A FRICKIN WORD !!!! WHY??? This is a racist act against an innocent white man. I do have a question for the suspects....if the man they attacked was black, would they still have attacked him?????

    I refuse to stoop to the level of people who chose to yell, scream, threaten and demand respect. I have been quite too long, time to start making phone calls.

    August 25, 2013 at 12:40 am | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      I'm sorry, but you're reading about it, aren't you? So yes, the media is "all over it."

      August 25, 2013 at 4:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      "I'm sorry, but you're reading about it, aren't you? So yes, the media is "all over it."

      While we may be reading some portion of it, "media is all over it" is a bit of a s t r e t c h, wouldn't you agree? The media WAS all over the Zimmerman case. This reporting is barely saying, "and in other news today..."

      August 27, 2013 at 1:08 am | Report abuse |
  10. chrissy

    Yet you will stoop too the level of bigotry and race baiting? Newsflash for ya. None are any better than the othes!

    August 25, 2013 at 1:02 am | Report abuse |
    • Quiet 2 Long

      I did not say that any race is better than another. My point that you obviously missed was that excuses are made for African Americans who choose acts of violence against others that are not of their ethnicity. I am quite certain that we will not see Obama making any statement regarding this racist act. Im not sure what you mean by "race baiting" however, you do not know me and I can tell you that your statement has no merit. I am for equality for anyone who works hard, keeps their children in school and treats people as they would want to be treated. I am for equality for people who remove their hat when the National Anthem is played, who put their hand over their heart during the Pledge of Allegiance and who know what the Stars and Stripes represent on our nation's beautiful flag. Most importantly, I am for equality when a person in the United States, citizen or not, THANKS A FORMER AND/OR CURRENT MEMBER OF OUR ARMED FORCES FOR STANDING ON THE FRONT LINE PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM !! Did I make myself clear ????

      August 25, 2013 at 1:23 am | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      Quiet..
      the "bigotry and race baiting" accusations are simply a bogus attempt to quieten you once again.. rock on. Sometimes, you just have to weed your way thru the ostrichs..

      August 25, 2013 at 11:46 am | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      Nate
      Thank you. Your effort is duly noted and appreciated.

      August 27, 2013 at 2:01 am | Report abuse |
  11. chrissy

    Race baiting is when someone attempts to turn things into a race issue when in fact they are not!

    August 25, 2013 at 12:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      and what facts do you have that this case is not a racial issue? Somehow I overlooked that part of the article.

      August 27, 2013 at 12:59 am | Report abuse |
  12. JayT

    By the time I'm done reading this article I would have forgotten this Vets name. Somehow I cannot get rid of Treyton Martins name from my memory. Heck I wouldn't have even known about this headline if it wasn't for a friends facebook posting. Somehow the Black community is stronger in the sense of making their voices heard. 12% of the country can somehow demonstrate and make national headlines. What's wrong with America? Your silence says it all. Until next week when another victim makes a small headline (unless it's a white on black crime), we'll mourn for this great hero.

    August 25, 2013 at 3:15 pm | Report abuse |
  13. banasy©

    "Your silence says it all."
    You're reading about it, yes?
    I don't suppose you saw that there was 160 posts decrying this crime on this blog alone, not to mention all the other media venues?
    This is deplorable, and there isn't one person that has said otherwise.

    August 25, 2013 at 4:06 pm | Report abuse |
  14. chrissy

    And if this was a white on white crime these people spoutin racism wouldnt have given this story a second thought!

    August 26, 2013 at 9:38 am | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      huh???
      how obserb... a freakin' apple in a bushel of oranges... but a sure way to kill a thread..

      August 27, 2013 at 12:31 am | Report abuse |
  15. chrissy

    Hmm blocked from speaking of white on white crime? Go figure!

    August 26, 2013 at 10:55 am | Report abuse |
    • FedUp

      breaking news... tis not the topic of the article being discussed. RIP thread.

      August 27, 2013 at 12:38 am | Report abuse |
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