Six people shot in DC last night.

[Captain Hilts]

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1443199

Thanks to:
The "War on Drugs"
Irresponsible people.
The Supreme Court's recent gun ruling.
Obama's concurrence with that ruling.
Incompetent DC Govt./Police
Incompetent Fed Govt. that screws over DC
UNCONSTITUTIONAL deprivation of DC's right to vote in Congress
Poverty and despair. - thanks Gately

It's just sad:

A 13-year-old boy was gunned down, six other people shot and one stabbed within minutes of each other in a spate of violence in the Trinidad section of NE shortly after midnight Saturday. Police said that also between midnight and four in the morning a person was shot dead and another stabbed citywide.

DC Police Inspector Rodney Parks says the Trinidad shootings appear to have taken place in connection with three attempted robberies. Parks says the other violent incidents are unrelated. Police are looking for a gold or metallic colored car, possibly a Dodge Intrepid, spotted at each crime scene. The police have no suspects in custody at this time.

Police set up checkpoints in the Trinidad neighborhood last month to prevent crime in the wake of a similar string of shootings. The checkpoints are now the subject of a class action lawsuit.

Jewel Hall, a resident of the Trinidad area, says crime is a real problem in the area.

"I really can't distinguish 'em from fireworks or whatever," Hall said. "But we do hear, you know like, it could be shots all the time. And it's like, little kids, they don't even get scared. They're used to it."

Police request that anyone with information on any of these incidents call the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099.

[gateley]

1. Poverty and despair. nt

[Captain Hilts]

10. Yes. I'll add that. Thanks. nt

[Edweird]

15. So poor people commit crime? Is that how it works?

There are plenty of wealthy murderers out there.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. The crime rate goes up when the economy is struggling

[Edweird]

18. I don't dispute that one bit.

But this isn't burglary or fraud. This is murder. And while the over all crime rate my be going up because the economy is in the crapper blaming all the violence on poor people is elitist. The next step from there is "I believe in gun control for *them*. But *I* should be able to defend *MYSELF*" Not all poor people are criminals. Not all better off people are innocent.

[Marrah_G]

25. Its more like financial stress can lead to more crime

Especially domestic assaults/abuse.

Less about the amount of struggle and more about the amount of stress.

On top of that, crime is higher in places where young people lack necessary jobs. They turn to criminal activities and that leads to violence.

[gateley]

26. What is your fucking point?

I was merely suggesting that in these frightening economic times, people are behaving in ways they maybe wouldn't if they weren't afraid.

The rise in theft of catalytic converters, manhole covers, copper tubing from housing construction.

The neighborhood referred to isn't exactly Bel Air.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. Is the stabbing Obama's fault too? nt

[libodem]

3. A chicken in every pot

and a gun under every bed. That's the ticket.

[dbonds]

4. Is this an increase since the SC ruling?

[Pavulon]

8. Has not taken effect yet. This is just DC crime..(nt)

[dbonds]

11. Okay, was looking to compare before and after, but since it is still before...

this has nothing to do with the ruling or Obama and shows the ineffectiveness of the ban. I don't think the amount of guns is part of the issue here, maybe a good enema might help though.

[Warpy]

5. Obama had nothing to do with it.

But the war on drugs sure as hell did.

[Edweird]

6. What, exactly, does the supreme court ruling have to do with this? Or Obama?

If anything, the violence in DC is a strong argument AGAINST gun bans. It wasn't working. That's why there were checkpoints.....

[Captain Hilts]

9. The ban was useless because of easy access to guns in VA and, a lesser extent,

Maryland.

Virginia is still a main supplier of guns committed in crimes along the East Coast up into Canada, especially Toronto.

[Edweird]

12. The ban is useless because criminals intent on hurting or killing you

could care less about a law inhibiting their possession. If there were a nationwide wide ban, the guns would easily be smuggled in with drugs. Armed criminals and unarmed citizens is bad for the citizens.

[SteveM]

22. Note: we have NATIONAL drug prohibition. Has it helped? (nt)

[Pavulon]

7. Ban is in effect

I mean in addition to murder these were illegal weapons. If they were semi auto that is double plus ungood.
illegal

legal:

[Breeze54]

13. You forgot to add criminals to the list.

That's sad and such a waste. Same thing happened in Boston last week. July 4th weekend.

---------------------

'We Can't Explain It,' Mayor Menino Says Of Holiday Violence

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/16796596/detail.html

No Arrests Announced

POSTED: 10:14 am EDT July 5, 2008
UPDATED: 6:24 pm EDT July 5, 2008

BOSTON --

It was a violent Fourth of July evening around Boston, as six people were shot, and two
of them were killed, police said.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in the head and killed at a cookout on Edwardson Street
in Hyde Park at about 8 p.m., police said.

In a separate shooting in Hyde Park, four people were shot on West Street, near
Hyde Park Avenue,
and suffered nonlife-threatening injuries, police said.

And early Saturday morning, a 21-year-old man, who was walking with friends, was killed
in a shooting on Dabney Street in Roxbury, police said.

The killing was Boston's 33rd of the year, one more than at this time last year.

“We can’t explain it. We never know what’s going to happen, but last night was one of those
nights we all regret,” said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.

“We’re out there doing the best we can, and we’ve got some real leads on a couple of the cases,”
he said.

Police have not announced arrests in any of the shootings.

“This stuff has got to stop, it has got to stop. I’m tired of it. Every time you turn around
another one of our children is being hurt,” said a resident who wanted to remain anonymous.

Anyone with information about the shootings is urged to call 617-343-4470.

Those who wish to remain anonymous can call 1-800-494-TIPS, or text the word “TIP” to 27463.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[marmar]

17. Obama was responsible for 6 DC shootings last night?

Jesse Jackson couldn't have come up with that one....

:wtf:

[cobalt1999]

19. Your post loses credibility when you list factors like the Supreme Court Ruling

since it is still in effect. In fact, you've just made the point that bans on guns don't work. Good Job.

[SteveM]

20. Supreme Court ruling linked to the usual D.C. slaughter? How's that?

D.C. has had its senseless anti-self-defense laws on the books for over 30 years; the Supreme Court ruled just last month and gun prohibition has yet to be lifted in D.C.

I think you are selling bankrupt shares in a failed social policy.

BTW, we have a NATIONAL prohibitionist scheme regarding drugs. You think a NATIONAL prohibitionist scheme regarding guns will work any better?

[Vickers]

21. We should curtail our 1st Amendment rights in response to this..

...that way the press won't write about it, and then we won't hear about it.

:patriot:

[MikeE]

23. From someone who used to live near there

The only things you list that are contributors are the "irresposible people" and the drug prohibition. In fact I would attribute it more to the fact that it's hot down here now, and last night was a full moon.

[SOS]

24. Murder in Washington DC:

1991 - 482
1997 - 301
2001 - 231
2006 - 169

The number of murders in DC has been declining for years.

[polmaven]

27. I'm going to agree with

everything on your list except one thing....

Obama's concurrence with that ruling. I am failing to see how, even if he did not concur with the ruling, that would have in any way, shape or form helped to prevent what happened.

[SteveM]

28. We get that "reasoning" from gun-controllers in the Gungeon all the time (nt)

[aikoaiko]

29. How does the Heller decision from SCOTUS factor into these killings?

:shrug: