Ninja Crime Wave!
Starting in 1984, America had a new enemy: ninjas. They appeared on movie screens, hid inside TVs, lurked in video stores, and pounced on people in shopping malls. They also committed real crimes.
Ninja costumes became wildly popular and wound up being the fashion accessory of choice for people looking to commit crimes. Presented here is a brief digest of just a small slice of the ninja crime wave that gripped America for 3 years in the Eighties:
October 29, 1984 - Portsmouth, VA
After being evicted, a local man watched Revenge of the Ninja multiple times before putting on a ninja costume and arming himself with an uzi, throwing stars, and a crossbow. He went to the house of a woman whom he felt “had wronged him” and killed her, a friend, and then himself. The only survivors were the woman’s 15 year old son and his friend who were upstairs when it happened.
July 8, 1985 - San Francisco, CA
Charles Ng, 24, is arrested. Ng had murdered between 11 and 25 individuals as part of an elaborate fantasy that he was a ninja.
September 26, 1985 - Asbury Park, NJ
A 17 year old playing “ninja warrior” on a power transformer is in critical condition after receiving 34,500 volts through his body while his mother watched. 1,800 customers lost power for 30 minutes.
August 18, 1985 - Scottsville, NY
5 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15 years old are charged with 45 counts of criminal mischief after a 2-night vandalism spree during which they slashed the lining of an above-ground swimming pool, scratched the paint on a car with a knife, and spray painted “hi” and a series of profanities on the trunks of other cars. One officer reported, “They told us they did this as part of a fantasy of ninja warriors, which they had watched on television.”
October 29, 1985 - Middletown, NJ
Police are searching the area for an “elusive ninja warrior — most probably a child playing the role” who has been spotted creeping through local back yards. The small ninja is wearing a camouflage ninja outfit and carrying a samurai sword. Police have conducted several stake-outs in an attempt to catch him. Two weeks previously, several blow darts were fired into the back door of a Chinese restaurant on Route 35 and the police believe it is the work of this same ninja.
November 21, 1986 - Fort Worth ,TX
A 20 year old man has received life in prison for attacking a woman with a hammer and stabbing her while dressed as a ninja. A drifter, he lived in her attic for 2 days, before attempting to rob her house. She interrupted his robbery, at which point he attacked her and forced her to write a $600 check. He was arrested when trying to cash it. During his sentencing, he kicked a newspaper photographer and a local news cameraman.
December 11, 1986 - Lexington, KY
A former University of Kentucky worker dressed as a ninja and armed with guns and a sword came onto campus 5 months after he was fired. He wounded two men, and engaged the police in a 10-hour standoff before being subdued with fire hoses.
December 12, 1986 - Encino, CA
A 22 year old man was arrested in the murder of his mother. Initially he blamed it on a burglar “who looked like a Ninja Warrior.” As one officer said, “I guess he’s into that kind of stuff.”
June 4, 1987 - Chicago, IL
Three men dressed as ninjas and wearing rubber witch and monster masks robbed the Riviera nightclub of $35,000, beating and terrorizing 20 patrons whom they held at gunpoint. They were arrested when one of them used his share of the money to buy a used car and make a down payment on a house.
November 3, 1987 - Ann Arbor, MI
12 youths dressed as ninjas attacked 2 trick-or-treaters and stole their Halloween candy, then ran away. The suspects have not been located.
June 27, 1987 - Farmington, CT
Two 16 year old Farmington residents were robbed by two men dressed as ninjas and armed with a knife and a stick. The suspects escaped with $60.