A 'Broken Heart' Exclusive
Robin said...> "Are you listening to the scanner? A man was shot in face at Fargo and Winchester."
BLOGNOTES: Scanner reports the offender is a black male, about 5 foot 10 inches tall, wearing a white t-shirt and red cap. This shooting happened around 10:55 PM last night, near a May '07 shooting at Jordan School.
8 comments:
Victim in critical condition at St.Francis Hospital. 2 Guns recovered in a yard nearby.offender is a known Black P Stone and is still at large, frequents 2424's beat.
Remember The Children.
The shooting was topic number one for the kids at Jordan Elementary this morning.
Mary, a 4th grader, lives on Winchester and was excited to talk about it. From her bedroom, she heard three shots. She looked out a window and saw a man on the ground. Her fingers dialed 911 automatically, and then she called her mom who was at work. Mary wanted her to come home right away.
Mary said she went to get a closer look, saw the blood, and turned right around fast. She said it was too gross and too scary! My son asked why the police don't have snipers posted to spot bad guys who are shooting. My daughter, as usual, didn't want to hear about guns, blood, and gangs. She declared, "Too much information!" in hopes of ending the discussion.
This tragedy became a teaching moment. I turned the conversation from the blood and violence. I started by asking how that man end up lying in the street? "He was a gangbanger," said Mary. And, why was he a gangbanger? Mary responded, "Because he didn't stay in school." Good answer, I thought.
Last night I participated in the Gale school forum on programs for the new park district community center on Howard. This morning I was listening to children talk excitedly about yet another neighborhood shooting. They voiced fears and anger or avoided acknowledging a fact of life which the park programs are meant to change. Not surprisingly, the various reactions of these children mirrored the range of responses we adults give.
Neighbors here, from all walks of life, have good reasons for wanting a better community. I think of the children first. Many of us volunteer. We give an extra hour here or there and do what we can to make change happen. When it opens this spring, I hope we all find time to get involved in the new Gale community center or get involved in something else to make change happen. What ever you do, get involved.
Our children will thank you.
If Mary is a 4th grader and called her mom at work wanting her to come home right away.....is there an adult at home?
This is just as scarey as walking down the street just hoping and praying you will make it inside safely.
If Mary is only a fourth grader there must be an adult in the home.
If there isnt we need to support Mary's mother in finding someone to assist her in providing for her family.
Madeinrogerspark, I'm with you about your concern, and I wish there was a solution in this case and for the larger problem. Both of Mary's parents work hard and very late hours, and yes, Mary was home alone last night. She's one of the many hundreds of thousands of latchkey kids in our world. My family is really blessed in that we know exactly where our two kids are, who is with them, and what adult supervision is on hand every moment of their lives. The vigilance, logistics, schedule juggling, and sacrifices necessary to make that happen are huge.
Michael, Thanks !
If we are absolutely certain Mary is home alone then maybe one of the programs out of the new Gale Field House should be later than 6:00PM after school care.
I am not trying to sound sarcastic , judgemental or anything but concerned for this young person.
I have no doubt her parents work long hours and work hard to give her a better life but let us be realistic.............if Mary is alone all this time you and I both know what the long term effects of this situation are.
When I THINK BACK ABOUT MY LIFE ALL IN ALL IT WAS BOTH PRETTY DARN GOOD AND PRETTY CRAZY.
You know the definition of family is dysfuntion - however, I never was left alone. Ever! and Mary shouldn't be alone either.
I think it's really sad that we TEACH our children to condemn the victim--I think that the correct answer to the question "Why did this young man get shot?" is because the SHOOTER is a gang-banger! And madeinrogerspark--if you are not trying to sound judgemental???????????????????you failed. Frankly, if you think that a latch-key 4th grader is as scarey as an armed gangbanger, I question your judgement. And as far as "KNOWING what the long term effects" of this is ????? Both of my daughters were latchkey kids in East Rogers Park--My older daughter is a happily married Mom and homeowner, with a good job, and my younger daughter is a college senior who has already been accepted into grad school! If Mary's parents are giving her sound values by being responsible people--and teaching her to be the kind of fast-thinking and compassionate person who picked up the phone and called 911--then I salute their success--Thanks to this little girl(and maybe the way she was raised???) perhaps two lives have been saved--somebodiy's son did not die in the street last night--and somebody else's son did not become a murderer--Thank you, Mary's parents!
Justanother - if this 4th grader goes in to school and tells her teacher, a social worker, or any other school staff what happened and that SHE WAS IN FACT HOME ALONE AT MIDNIGHT......the receiver of the information must,under penalty of law, report to DCFS!!!!!
Mary's parents need to work alternating shifts or find a neighbor, a friend, an aunt, an uncle, to be in the home while she is there at night time. It is the law!
The simple fact that people read this blog and see that a young person is home alone and such little concern....SCAREY is the fact that Mary is home alone and such little concern.
How often were you left alone when you were 10 years old?
And I am not talking about kids going home for an hour or so but it still is neglect.....I am talking about being in a home, an apartment ALONE!
where can people participate and talk to kids about guns violence and drugs. i been wanted to do that for a while now
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