Shootings In The Area

To my son Tommy,

There was another shooting in the neighborhood last night, or technically early this morning.  It happened around 1:00 AM about a block or less away up the road.  Supposedly happened at the corner of Edmondson and Aldershot.  Details are sketchy and some say (people who were at the local bar on the same block) a teen was shot while some news agencies reporting two were shot.  The point is it is way too close to home.  When I was a big bar goer before we had you, many a night I walked past that same corner probably around the same time from the local bar so I would not risk drinking and driving.  But for the grace of God, and growing up and having you, that could have been me.  We still have many friends who are bar flies so your mother was worried sick all night.

Your mother recently had another shooting hit close to home, even though it wasn't close to our home.  A old friend of hers was shot twice (I believe in the throat) on August 13th in the Hampden area while escorting another friend to her car.  It was an attempted mugging and he did the brave thing of garnering the muggers attentions so his friend could run for safety.  He will make it but I imagine two bullets in you can sour your mood for a bit.

While we were on our vacation in OCNJ, on Aug 3rd in the 200 block of North Rock Glen road, about three blocks down our street, was another shooting.  Of course, it seems none of the crime maps show that shooting, but it was reported in the news outlets like the Baltimore Sun.  I guess the police not putting stuff like that on the crime maps makes them look better.  Or maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt and hope they are too busy out there trying to solve these crimes that they don't have time to update some database.

It is pretty scary when crimes come close to your home.  As I left the house this morning, I sure as hellfire set the alarm and dead bolted the door.  I was headed out to church to pray for an end to senseless violence in our community and, even though I don't know the details or the victims, to pray for those involved.

Some will immediately talk about getting out of the area.  It is a common response to the fear.  Some will say their is no solution.  That is a common response to the frustration and feeling helpless.  Some will say it is nothing to worry about and that wreaks of denial.  I am not sure of the real solution, but I am not going to run scared nor am I going to deny any problems.  I guess we can watch out for each other a little more in the neighborhood, but we know our neighbors and we keep an eye on things for them but even then senseless violence seeps in.  The solution lies in the hearts of all people in our community and world.  I hope and pray that someday people will just stop shooting other people, period.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo