In a line out of a popular dancehall song, “90s, 50s’ real bad man”, it appears the “bad” is trying to overtake the good during the annual West Indian Day Parade and festivities. This year’s annual West Indian Day Parade and festivities left 3 people dead and 6 others shot.
This kind of violence will only serve as literal ammunition for those already seeking to shut down the annual celebration. There was a senseless shooting during J’Ouvert and also another where an elderly woman was shot and killed. Even a police officer was shot! Where is the love that Bob Marley sang about and where is the consciousness of our people? This is our parade, our culture, our celebration and OUR lives that we are loosing to senseless violence against OURselves.
According to the New York Post, there were several shooting incidents surrounding the annual West Indian Day Parade on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. In total, 9 persons were shot. Shots were even fired near to Mayor Bloomberg as he marched during the annual event.
New York Post Reports:
“[The gunman] shouted something, then ‘boom!’ Everyone ducked,” said a witness, Marlene Anthony, adding that the young thug was standing at Rockaway Parkway and Clarkson Avenue – just blocks from the parade staging area. “It was a bad mix of alcohol, ignorance and a fool with a gun who tries to ruin the fun of the parade.”
The gunman, Devon Stevens, 25, jumped into a livery cab, but went only a couple blocks before hopping out on East 94th Street at Winthrop Street, where he ditched the gun as cops gave chase, authorities said.
“I was out here sweeping and listening to music when I saw the police grab up this young man on the hood of this car,” said an elderly resident on East 94th Street. “There were so many police chasing him.”
Gothamist reports:
Over 40 bullets were fired last night in a Crown Heights shooting near the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Park Place, leaving three people dead, injuring two NYPD officers, and putting a bloody exclamation point on a very violent Labor Day weekend. Police say career criminal Leroy Webster, 32, emerged from a Park Place building around 9 p.m. and opened fire on Eusi Johnson, 29, who was walking with his cousin. Johnson was fatally shot in the neck, and bystander Denise Gay was shot in the head as she sat on her stoop with her daughter. Gay, 56, died from her wounds.
Officers who happened to be nearby because of the West Indian Parade responded quickly, and Webster allegedly opened fire on them, hitting Officer Omar Medina in the arm and Officer Avichaim Dicken, 29, whose elbow was grazed by a bullet. Webster was fatally shot in the neck, staggered a short way, bleeding profusely and died, CBS 2 reports. Both officers are listed in stable condition, and at a press conference at the hospital last night, Mayor Bloomberg called it a senseless murder and a painful reminder of what happens when elected officials in Washington fail to take the problem of illegal guns seriously.
Good way of deflecting any blame from the NYPD Mayor Bloomberg! So, I guess Mayor Bloomberg is no longer an “elected” official? So when things go well you take credit and when things go bad you blame Washington? Come on Mayor, you can do better than that!
