Just freaking great….
“>
For the second time in as many days, there’s been a shooting on the edge of our neighborhood. The first was a murder at Fourth and Annunciation yesterday (two streets over and one block down from our house). The one today (I don’t know the condition of the victim) was equidistant from here, at First and Annunciation. I’m no cop, but I’m assuming at this early stage that today’s was a retaliation for yesterday’s. Or something. I dunno — it’s hard to tell right now. But I DO know it’s too freaking close.
Stu and I wandered over there after hearing sirens. From what could gather from neighbors (and unconfirmed) is that the victim was shot three times and the perp got away on foot. It’s not hard to vanish in the Casbah-like rabbit warren that is so much of New Orleans — particularly since virtually no one is going to talk to the cops about who and what they saw. That’s the key problem — that no one seen nuffin’. And as long as that’s the case, this is going to continue to happen.
I’d like to call on folks who see this kind of crime taking place to get with the cops and take a stand and give details and point fingers. But who am I kidding? Likely the person who did it is only going to be released on bond and come back to make sure there’s no one to testify. Or if he doesn’t, his buddies will. The alternative is to get decent folks on the street with their neighbors to keep their eyes open and act as deterrents (as we have in our neighborhood), but we can’t be on every street 24/7. Of course, we could use the method used by some guy over in the Marigny last night — but I don’t think anyone wants us to become a town full of gun-toting, self-appointed vigilantes. I prefer to live in New Orleans, not Basra.
For now, at least, the “safe” (and by that, I mean “comparatively safer”) areas of the Lower Garden District appear to be lakeside of Annunciation up to St. Charles or Carondelet. Once you get riverside of Annunciation, things fall off the table rather quickly in many areas.
The need is for more than just a neighborhood watch. It’s for a real block-by-block effort. The weather’s good these days, so get outside, get to know your neighbors and get a bit nosy. It’s working on our block — and right now it’s the only way.
Related posts:
get a gun and protect yourself.
I DO have guns and am trained in their use. And this guy over in the Marigny had the proper permit and acted in self-defense against an armed robber. What scares me is the reality that any dinkwad can obtain a high-powered weapon to express his masculinity at the slightest perceived insult. And the retaliatory nature of these jacklegs means it never stops. I suppose the only good thing about it is that they keep killing each other. But for every one who dies, there’s another relative or buddy who takes up a weapon for revenge or to feel more like a “man.”
Idiots.
Cops just caught someone outside my house on Annunciation and Felicity. One shot fired. I don’t think anyone was hit though.
i agree that people need to take a stand in their cities because, if they do not, they will continue to have the problems that they have in their cities. It all starts with the people. If peopel do not take a stand and do something, they will continue to have the problems that they have. You want a safe street, take it back from the thugs and the crooks one street at a time.
Well, until Batman moves to New Orleans, the “People” won’t do shit. How do you take back a street if all you have is a frying pan, and “Kizbo” has a bazooka?