Community shows support for assault victim

By Raegan Loughrey

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    WARE, Massachussets (WSHM) — One town in western Mass. is standing up to protect one of their own. Residents in Ware gathered Saturday at Grenville Park to show their support for a young man with autism who was badly beaten earlier this summer.

In May. 26-year-old Shiloh Skerritt was pushed to the ground and kicked several times in the back. Residents met Saturday to talk about ways to make their town a safer place and how the community will feel the lasting effects of today’s event.

Western Mass News went to the event and spoke with Shiloh’s dad, Peter Skerritt who said although his injuries have physically healed, he still is working on the emotional impact.

“Physically, his injuries have seem to have, he’s recovered from that. Emotionally he’s seemed to have regressed from before that happened which I understand he can’t verbalize that how he feels about it so that’s one of the reasons that we’re trying to get him back into the center of Hope and South Bridge and because then he’s around people and they can work with him on that it’s been a year and a half since he’s been around anyone except at home and taking his walks here,” said Skerritt.

Skerritt said his son Shiloh has type one diabetes, so getting him back to the park was extremely important for him to get exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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