Catholic School Recall Tackling Accused Flasher

P H I L A D E L P H I A, Nov. 4, 2003 -- A group of Catholic school girls say they tackled their alleged neighborhood flasher — while still dressed in their traditional school girl garb — because they were tired of the suspect's antics.

About 20 female students from St. Maria Goretti's High School for Girls in South Philadelphia tackled their alleged flasher right after school Thursday.

They apprehended the suspect, identified by police as 25-year-old Rudy Susanto, and held him there until police arrived,authorities said.

High school students Dorothy Kopicko, Caitlin Dalin, Stephanie Kapovic, Jeanine Simone and Kelly Simone led the chase.

‘I Was Really Mad’

Kopicko said she was really shocked the first time she saw the accused flasher reveal himself to the girls, but she said his behavior went from shocking to annoying.

"The first time he exposed himself to me I was scared," Kopicko said on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "The second time I wasn't scared. The third time I was really mad."

The accused flasher typically hid behind a van, waited for students and then jumped out and exposed himself, police said.

Police say the suspect has been accused of exposing himself to the girls since the beginning of the school year.

His alleged hobby ended Thursday when nearby store owners spotted him flashing girls and started yelling at him.

The school girls proceeded to chase the man down the street before wrestling him to the ground. The girls said a few of them kicked the suspect after tackling him.

While he was on the ground, the suspect pulled out a small Swiss Army knife, according to police. Kopicko said she kicked it out of his hand.

With the aid of a male passerby, the girls held the suspect until police arrived, authorities said.

Dalin, a 14-year-old ninth-grader, said they chased the suspect about three blocks before they were able to take him down.

Kopicko said the suspect played dumb while they waited for police.

"He was just saying 'I don't know what you're talking about,'" Kopicko said. "He was acting like he didn't do nothing."

The suspect was treated at a Philadelphia hospital for minor injuries to his mouth.

Police charged the suspect with harassment, stalking and indecent exposure.

Ritamarie Frey, President of St. Maria Goretti's High School for Girls, said the school had posted composite sketches of the alleged flasher around the school before he was tackled by the students.

Frey said she really doesn't support the girls' actions because she believes they could have been hurt. But Frey says she feels better knowing the suspect isn't on the streets.