Ester Stroud {Isiah's mother} says he would use the CTA Red Line – the Jarvis Avenue stop – daily. He was walking along the area in Rogers Park with a friend. At the same time, a car was driving by; the people inside flashed gang signs at them, but kept going. Then, the car turned around, stopped, and that's when both of the young boys were attacked. She said the incident is shocking. Witnesses told police, the boys that attacked her son, are as young as 13-14-years-old.
"Speak out, because it could be your brother next. It could be your nephew. We have to come together as a community," Stroud said. Source.
Good luck getting anyone to speak out in this cowardly neighborhood, Ms. Stroud. Our Alderman and his followers all have their head in the sand and now have blood on their hands. Joe Moore was warned at a
Town Hall meeting last month something like this was going to happen. So, you think Joe has this under control?
20 comments:
This is so sad. I live around the corner from the CTA Jarvis station. I have two pre-teen kids. One day they will want the freedom to walk outdoors alone, and without dad holding their hands. I wonder what can be done to beef-up safety, or lighting, or maybe police monitoring around CTA stations?
Over the years the environment around the Jarvis station has had its share of light and dark. For months the street scene can seem to be quiet and peaceful. Then for whatever reason it can become like so many other CTA stations - a noisy hangout for drug dealing thugs and panhandlers, and a mugger looking to rob a commuter. The crime scene was much worse when I moved here in 1995, however it is still wise to be aware of who is hanging out there at night. Three of my friends have been jumped going to or leaving the station.
West of the Jarvis station, on both sides of the street, are several vacant storefronts. These dark stores add to the isolated climate. The popular businesses east of the station (a bar, two restaurants, a busy mall with a laundromat) put more people on the street, but are no guarantee that it is a safe place to be.
The police cruise the station and this area regularly. It's routine to see them become suspicious of and stop a carload of young men driving around. The guys and the car get a thorough search.
I have more questions. The news story reported that Isiah Stroud lived at 4040 W. Roscoe, and apparently attended Senn High School. So, what brought him to our neighborhood so regularly?
My heart goes out to you Ms. Stroud, and my prayers are with Isiah. Sincerely.
I don't know much about the details of this crime, but apparently one a former client of mine was there and witnessed the crime. He was friends with the boy killed. This is tragic- it's about real people and I hope that there won't be any ignorant or misinformed comments to follow.
The individuals who told me of this and the witness have developmental disabilities and aren't affiliated with gangs- I doubt the boy killed had any gang affiliation either. Very sad story.
Ester Stroud must be a very strong woman, mother, human being. She has desinated her son's organs for donation, a task not easy to do, especially when your child has been MURDERED, BY EQUALLY-YOUNG THUGS.
I don't know you, Ester, but I am proud of you. Even in your greatest grief, you are thinking of others.
Now to the issue re: Isiah Stroud's most unfortunate death. Anyone who knows anything, no matter what your colour, contact the police in Area 3. NOW, RIGHT NOW! LOOK UP THE NUMBER!
If you don't, you may as well have KILLED ISIAH STROUD yourselves!
As for the Ald., or Alder-Joker as I prefer to call him, this MURDER occurred across Jarvis Avenue from your office, just "UP THE ALLEY, GO A HALF BLOCK LEFT, THEN A HALF-BLOCK RIGHT" until you are there, right past the viaduct, that peeling, poisoned-with-lead-paint misery we all know as "under the Jarvis El".
Did you come to help, Joe? From your "official residence"? Or were you at your HOME-AWAY-FROM-HOUSE?
Though he wanted to DANCE more than anything, Isiah Stroud could have become a future PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! But members of a CHEAP LITTLE BUGGER GANG put an end to that, and ANY dream. Even if he wasn't the greatest, smartest, most talented kid in the world, I would have helped Isiah, had I the chance to know him.
But, living at Pulaski and Roscoe, he is certainly no concern for Joe Moore. Ms. Ester Stroud cannot vote in the 49th Ward, because she lives at Pulaski and Roscoe. I'm certain, so far, that she has made NO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION to Citizens for Joe Moore.
NOR SHOULD ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS ANY SENSE OF PROPRIETY!
A young man, a VERY young man, is cut down across the street from the alderman's office and there is NO STATEMENT OF OUTRAGE from said alderman?
OUTRAGEOUS!
AND UN-BLEEPING UNBELIEVABLE!
Hmm. The killers were 13-14, but they were riding in a car. It would seem very likely that there were adults (or much older youths) in the car who instigated the crime.
If those instigators can be found, they should get the needle. For the murder of Isiah and for what they did to those two younger boys.
My thoughts are with you Ms. Stroud! I am so sorry for your loss!
I hope and pray that this senseless murder will wake people up to what goes on in the community!
I wonder what can be done to beef-up safety, or lighting, or maybe police monitoring around CTA stations? ---
I think we need to quit asking "what can the police do more" and start asking "what can I do more". I really think this is part of the problem in Rodgers Park! Maybe if the people in the community started organizing things like neighborhood watch groups, things might improve a little.
I really think the police are overworked as it is and really need help from the community!
===I think we need to quit asking "what can the police do more" and start asking "what can I do more".===
I tried. But Joe and his puppets wanted to spend their efforts bashing my group and it's members instead of joining.
Now, someone else needs to step to the plate.
Craig - I know you have tried and for a very long time!
I am mainly speaking to the others in the community... including myself.
Hey Chicago, I read your comment. OK, it was sloppy of me to simply ask "what can be done to beef-up safety, or lighting, or maybe police monitoring around CTA stations?"
We already know most of the answers and solutions, some of them were offered in my rhetorical question. Of course, I agree with you on the need for more citizen involvement.
My actual thought was not about what can be done but rather WHEN we will adopt a local, comprehensive strategy to tackle crime. Arriving at a point in time when we have the collective community and political resolve to do something different has seemed beyond our grasp for too long.
That's the question: When will we care, and say that enough is enough, and then commit to do something? One finger of blame I'd point at us as residents is that we have yet to demand and enforce real accountability from the powers that be on this and other local issues.
That leads me to challenge your contention that that we should stop asking what the police can do. We know they are swamped and work hard. Yes, there is a need for citizen action. However, as with our alderman, never forget that we PAY THEIR SALARIES. It's their full-time job to take leadership on this, and to devise and implement solutions. I expect nothing less.
I already noted that the police seem to have an aggressive posture in monitoring carloads of young men driving around the neighborhood. Maybe that's a good effort. Maybe more is needed. Or, maybe something different must be tried.
Finally, I'm rather involved in our community. I'm an active volunteer, as opposed to a computer keyboard activist. Where crime is concerned, citizen action and vigilance can help. More of us do need to get involved in programs that enrich Rogers Park and provide youth with alternatives to street life.
However, few of us can do that (or watch the streets) 24/7. When 16-year-old Isiah Stroud was fighting for his life with a carload of thugs around the corner from my house, I was home doing the active parent thing. I was taking care of my own kids. I hope every parent was doing just that, taking care of things at home.
So sad. I cant wait to move. seems to be the only solution.
Don't worry, this will show up in the police stats as a "homicide" but not as a "murder." That way, Joe Moore and the CPD can fudge the murder rate - as they've done so often in the past.
Mr. Harrington asks some good questions, but he did not phrase them correctly. Let's try a rehash:
When will we insist that the ACLU stop getting killers out of prison and back on the streets with only a virtual slap on the wrist?
When will we stop voting over and over for politicians who perpetuate the wimpish ways in which violent criminals are treated?
When will we insist that the police no longer be hamstrung by liberal judges and politicians like Joe Moore and Helen Shiller?
When will we give the police more leeway in rounding up the bad guys, and show the police that risking their lives to do so will not result in the bad guys being released on a $150 bond within two hours, only to have an ACLU lawyer claim harassment and get the bastards out of any charges?
When will you understand that your stupid "Take Back the Night" walks and candlelight vigils do nothing to sway the criminals? That community "vigilance" is no deterent to criminal violence, but stricter punishment is?
When are the people going to wake up the fact that half a century of voting the wrong way, and continuing to do so, makes all of this hand wringing and pontificating pointless and moot?
When will you realize that frauds like Jim Ginderske and DevCorp only act as apologists for uncaring bastards like Alderman Moore?
Wake up, people. Look around. There are plenty of neighborhoods across this country with economic profiles similar to Rogers Park, but have less violent crime.
Im sick of all this killing and violence among us African Americans, Can't everybody see that life is short and precious..
Looks as if they've got a couple of people of interest. I'll share the info with everyone tomorrow.
"Mr. Harrington asks some good questions, but he did not phrase them correctly..."
Jeez, Tom! There you go again - trying to read my mind, imagining you discover conservative thoughts there, and putting wildly wacky words in my mouth. In some respects, close, but no cigar.
Well, I think we're all long overdue for a face2face. How about an Obama-style, big tent Democrat, team of rivals, all opinions welcome COMMUNITY BLOGGER GABFEST? I suggest comparing notes over some holiday eggnog, well-seasoned of course, at Morseland, Morse Theatre, or at whatever place we're not currently boycotting or has banned us.
Hey Craig, can you referee? Pick a date, place, and time (I'll need to find a babysitter). Let's do it betwixt Xmas and New Years Day, and invite all our neighborhood blog posting buds to join in the good cheer! We're all in this together, regardless of our valuable and often valid differing ideas and opinions. :)
Would Alderman Moore dare have a memorial to a murder victim taken down?
... even though the memorial were near his office?
...even if the memorial was a great embarrassment to him?
If murders are brought to the public's attention, perhaps our neighbors will finally vote in effective leadership, who does address the violence and some shred of good can come from these horrific killings.
Any other signage Moore will have removed, perhaps not shrines and memorials.
An informed public is Joe Moore's greatest threat.
His myspace page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=77987122
http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/isiahhellrell/
I knew Isiah…. he had his issues (he didn’t come to my class very much) but he had a ton of potential and family that really cared. When the teachers called home, someone showed up. That's probably why, even after failing the classes he did, he was still in school (Well, family and girls..) He was completely capable of passing his classes, he just would ditch or get in trouble and go to in school suspension. I hope he straightened up and started doing better.
If he was misbehaving in school, it was always just to show off. I know he hung out with some thugs but, at the time, I couldn't imagine him being in a gang. However, pics on his myspace and photobucket accounts.. well, if he wasn’t doing bad things, he wanted folks to think he was capable of bad things. And some of the kids he's with I'm certain are in a gang. One hit me (he was arrested). One stole stuff from my room. And they aren’t throwing peace signs.
I feel horrible for his mom. Absolutely horrible. She really cared about him and was fighting an uphill battle against so many bad influences. He had lots of things stacked against him but lots of folks who wanted good things for him, too. Between the organ donation and the wake-up call (I hope) his death will be for some of his "on the edge" friends, he life and death will end up having a positive influence on others.
Michael,
Your 'bring us together, Obama style' get-together, sounds like a good idea/plan! Count me in.
What a waste of time. Sounds like a true circle of jerks. Go Beat off. You would all accomplish more.
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