Young Romney Supporter Beaten, Hospitalized Over Defending Yard Sign

The son of a Republican state senator in Wisconsin was brutally attacked and beaten on Friday morning by two people attempting to steal his Romney-Ryan yard sign in Whitewater, Wisconsin. In a statement released on Monday, Sen. Neal Kedzie described his son’s ordeal in horrific terms. Sean Kedzie, the senator’s son, spent Friday night in the hospital suffering from serious injuries to his head.

Here is Sen. Kedzie’s statement:

 Early on Friday morning, October 19th, my son Sean was awakened by noises outside his residence in Whitewater. As he went to see what the commotion was about, he noticed an individual removing a Romney/Ryan yard sign from his property. He yelled to the person that they were taking something not theirs and to return it immediately. The individual returned the sign, however, a second person confronted and attacked Sean without warning.

Sean was wrestled to the ground by both persons, held down by a constricting chokehold, and struck repeatedly about the face and head. He nearly passed out from the chokehold and suffered contusions to his face and eyes. Fortunately, an alert neighbor heard the commotion, scared the individuals away, and called the police. My wife and I were awakened by a telephone call from Sean’s roommate that Sean had been taken by ambulance to Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital.

Sean was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital the same day. As this was a private family matter, we chose not to remark publicly about it and allow law enforcement to do their job. But we understand these types of incidents will eventually become public and questions will arise, particularly in my position as a state legislator.

Sean is still recovering from the injuries he sustained as a result of this beating, and we are confident he will make a full recovery. But obviously, as parents, we are shaken by this event and very troubled it was apparently initiated and motivated for political reasons.

If this is how it went down, it’s horrible. Considering how many people on Tumblr have admitted to stealing Romney/Ryan yard signs, it seems relevant to post.

People, stop being assholes.

Now.