Every weekend and going into each week, it’s the same narrative in St. Louis where dozens of shots are fired and whether you’re the target or not, we all become part of a number of victims and grieving family and friends.
Not trying to have a comparison contest and I get it they are apples and oranges but both come from very strong trees. Over the years, St. Louis has been a violent city with people dying due to gun violence. Many of which the victims were bystanders hit with stray bullets and victims of a third-party conflict. We are losing too many of my friends and family and parents are losing their children.
May 30, 25-year old Marcia Brown was shot several times in an incident not even involving her. Her parents are still struggling for answers. Police have arrested 35-year-old Raymond House for the murder and police are still looking for four more suspects in the murder. Those of us who know the Browns are in shock as well especially with many of us being parents as well. No one wants to bury their children and this is becoming a weekly thing.
This weekend was another busy one with eight people shot overnight Sunday, June 28 alone including a man shot multiple times on a Metrobus. The shooting victims ranged in ages from 16 to 37 but the crimes were senseless all the same. Senseless in the sense of these shootings a lot of times are shows of false power. I say false power because instead of just being a tool of protection, guns became the tool of bullies marking their territory and the excuses to use them are even more ridiculous. Also, just as the reasons to use guns are ridiculous, so are the ages of the perpetrators.
I’ve seen perpetrators as young as ten years old and up and the hot spots are mostly in the city and some areas of the county. Between gang initiations, personal beefs like “someone stole my girl” or “you stepped on my shoes” causes these shootings. Even back in the day when OGs were in charge, the killings weren’t this bad nor were they as petty. The difference is the OG’s are either in jail, they’re much younger today and with youth comes less experience.
I’m not just putting it on the shooters nor am I completely blaming the police. This one is on the powers that be. That’s the responsibility Mayor Lyda Krewson and her administration. There are major hotspots on the Northside that should be hit daily but they’re not hitting them. I also blame overzealous police for their inaction to stop actual criminals but feel the need to jam up innocent Black men and women (which will be for another article coming up).
This is a collective problem. That’s why we have organizations like Better Family Life and the Urban League working to get youth off the street and into programs. That helps with some of the problem. However, there are still grieving family looking for justice for their loved ones. It’s time someone gave them some. I will keep following the Marcia Brown story until all are brought in for her murder.