Why is Chicago a murder capital? Clues from a bloody month

[webfact]

Why is Chicago a murder capital? Clues from a bloody month

By DON BABWIN

 

CHICAGO (AP) — Fourteen-year-old Malik Causey loved the way gangs took what they wanted from people on the street, the way members fought for each other, the way they could turn drugs into cash and cash into $400 jeans.

 

His mother tried to stop him. She yanked him out of houses where he didn't belong. She cooked up a story about Malik punching her so the police would lock him up to keep him safe for a while.

 

Then on Aug. 21, Monique Causey woke to discover that her son had sneaked out of the house. Before she could find him, someone ended his life with a bullet to the back of his head a few blocks away.

 

"I went to him and cried and told him he wouldn't make it," Causey said. "But this fighting, jumping on people ... this is all fun for them. This is what they like to do, you know, so how can you stop them?"

 

Malik Causey was one of 91 homicide victims in Chicago in August, the deadliest month in the city in two decades and the latest milestone for a metropolis becoming known for its murder rate. Already, killings here have jumped 46 percent over the same period last year, climbing past the 500 mark — a total larger than Los Angeles and New York combined.

 

An analysis of the August toll shows more clearly than ever who's dying in the Chicago slaughter and what's behind it: surging violence in a handful of the city's most impoverished neighborhoods, which are riven by loosely organized street gangs.

 

Young African-American men are the chief victims. In a city that's one-third black, the overwhelming majority of those murdered in August — 71 — were, like Malik, African American. Another 11 had Hispanic surnames. Almost half were in their teens or early 20s.

 

And more than 70 percent of those shot to death appeared on the Chicago police's "Strategic Subject List," which includes 1,400 people considered likely targets of violence based on gang involvement or criminal record.

 

To those outside Chicago, the rising murder toll might suggest a city wracked by widespread violence, but August portrays a much narrower picture of constant tit-for-tat attacks among gang members, with bystanders sometimes caught in the crossfire.

 

"People are arguing on Facebook over the color of some girl's hair, real simple things ... and they carry guns and when they finally catch each other, that's how it be," said Derrick House, 51, a former gang member and ex-convict who now works trying to prevent violence. "When they see the person they looking for, they don't care who else is out there, old people and kids, they just start shooting."

 

Ronnie Hutchen, 28, was one of the month's first victims. An acknowledged member of the Traveling Vice Lords, he was a veteran of the gang scene in the Austin neighborhood on the city's west fringe, which is dotted by boarded-up houses and of knots of men and teens standing around in the middle of the day. Most of those with jobs or options have fled.

 

Police don't know why someone thrust a knife into Hutchen's chest. But he had been in many scrapes with rival gangs, and had 56 arrests over the years, mostly in drug and weapons cases. Also, according to his court file, he'd told a judge that he'd worn a wire so federal agents could listen in on a cocaine buy.

 

The Englewood neighborhood on the south side was a particular hotspot for August murders. It's one of the city's poorest areas, with more than 40 percent of the residents living below the poverty level. This year, homicides there are up 171 percent over the same time last year.

 

Englewood is among four out of Chicago's 22 police districts that accounted for about a third of August's murders.

 

One Englewood victim was Denzell Mickiel, 24, who was shot in the face on Aug. 8 over what police suspect was a gang dispute. At the time he died, Mickiel was awaiting trial for allegedly firing shots at a group of people in 2014.

 

Tuesday, Aug. 23, provided a particular glimpse of how the city's murder toll steadily grew.

 

On that day, Victor Mata, 22, a member of a faction of the Satan Disciples, was found dead in the front yard of a house. It was the fourth time he had been shot in recent years.

 

Christopher Hibbler, 42, who belonged to the Black P Stones, a leading black street gang, died when people in a car sprayed gunfire at the corner where he was standing.

 

Tykina Ali, 20, was shot when someone opened fire on her boyfriend's car.

 

Johnell Johnson, a 37-year-old member of the Black Gangsters on the city's West Side, was found dead in the street, shot in the face.

 

According to community activists, the eagerness to kill wasn't as great years ago when these neighborhoods were dominated by larger, more organized gangs that concentrated on carving out and defending drug turf.

 

Now, "I don't hear much about Gangster Disciples against the Vice Lords," said Marshall Hatch, a minister in the East Garfield Park neighborhood where Causey lived. "I hear block against block."

 

Abner Garcia was born into the gang-dominated Back of the Yards neighborhood and knew what could happen to him. He joined the Army after high school, then upon his discharge volunteered at a YMCA program to help young men steer clear of gangs.

 

On Aug. 13, he was driving down the street when someone inside a van flashed gang signs at him, according to police. Words were exchanged before someone in the van shot Garcia in the head.

 

In Chicago's deadliest neighborhoods, a young man can be assumed to be in a rival gang just by being there.

 

Arshell Dennis III, 19, the son of a Chicago police officer, came home from college in New York to visit his family and was sitting on their porch when a man walked up and killed him with a bullet to the chest on Aug. 14.

 

"We think it was a case of mistaken identity and he was killed by someone who thought he was in a gang," said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

 

Today, Monique Causey, who works for a company that makes pizzas, thinks her son might still be alive if only she'd been able to move him someplace safer. She spoke of how smart her son was, what a whiz he was with computers and how he understood that he needed to leave behind his life on the streets, go to a safer school in the suburbs, graduate and make something of himself.

 

After he died, she discovered, still in the package, a pair of $400 jeans in her son's bedroom. She knows where the money came from — the same place that killed her son.

 

"The streets," she said.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-09-30

[Ulysses G.]

About time for a story like this. 

[daoyai]

Blame whitey ... what else y'all gonna do?

[Strange]

Its the Po-lese fault!

[Silurian]

These gang youths need another outlet for all their energy and time. They need venues to distract them from the drugs and violence such as community centers, park activities, boxing/martial-arts gyms, internet cafes and other youth outreach programs. Also, creating summer time and after school jobs specifically for these youths would help stem the violence. Instead of spending money to incarcerate them, there needs to be a way to teach them skills to better integrate with potential jobs. Schools can also help out with sports, arts and other extracurricular activities. There are solutions beyond the knee jerk reaction of "stop and frisk" and more policing. You need to get to the root cause of why these violent incidents keep happening not just a clean up afterward.

[ClutchClark]

Wouldn't you think a Nationwide movement full of such emtionally charged people as BLM would have some interest in these senseless killings in Chicago?

 

I simply do not understand their complete absence of involvement to change this narrative.

[daveAustin]

Cheaper to live/more poverty/gangs in parts of Chicago than other cities? Overall, just the nature of the beast... the States was born by the gun and is still a very young country. Not having a dig, but most of its big cities are violent -- I've been to more US cities than probably most Americans. Although populations are much lower, look how relatively peaceful Canada and Australia are. Get rid of your guns, guys.

[Ulysses G.]

2 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

Wouldn't you think a Nationwide movement full of such emtionally charged people as BLM would have some interest in these senseless killings in Chicago?

 

I simply do not understand their complete absence of involvement to change this narrative.

 

They could care less about black on black violence. 

[DaddyWarbucks]

7 minutes ago, Silurian said:

These gang youths need another outlet for all their energy and time. They need venues to distract them from the drugs and violence such as community centers, park activities, boxing/martial-arts gyms, internet cafes and other youth outreach programs. Also, creating summer time and after school jobs specifically for these youths would help stem the violence. Instead of spending money to incarcerate them, there needs to be a way to teach them skills to better integrate with potential jobs. Schools can also help out with sports, arts and other extracurricular activities. There are solutions beyond the knee jerk reaction of "stop and frisk" and more policing. You need to get to the root cause of why these violent incidents keep happening not just a clean up afterward.

Those ideas all sound good but they've been conspicuous failures in practice.

 

[Strange]

7 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Cheaper to live/more poverty/gangs in parts of Chicago than other cities? Overall, just the nature of the beast... the States was born by the gun and is still a very young country. Not having a dig, but most of its big cities are violent -- I've been to more US cities than probably most Americans. Although populations are much lower, look how relatively peaceful Canada and Australia are. Get rid of your guns, guys.

 

These gangs we got... They are seriously hardened murderous criminals with zero respect for law enforcement or the law. 

 

How can we get rid of our way to protect ourselves from these criminals? They will certainly not give up their guns, and only the law abiding people will give them up. 

 

Gotta look at this issue very seriously because we are not Canada nor Australia, and an off the hip "Give up ur guns" will not fix anything. 

[Strange]

15 minutes ago, Silurian said:

These gang youths need another outlet for all their energy and time. They need venues to distract them from the drugs and violence such as community centers, park activities, boxing/martial-arts gyms, internet cafes and other youth outreach programs. Also, creating summer time and after school jobs specifically for these youths would help stem the violence. Instead of spending money to incarcerate them, there needs to be a way to teach them skills to better integrate with potential jobs. Schools can also help out with sports, arts and other extracurricular activities. There are solutions beyond the knee jerk reaction of "stop and frisk" and more policing. You need to get to the root cause of why these violent incidents keep happening not just a clean up afterward.

 

All this violence is "Cool" to a lot of them. Its a lifestyle they choose to be in. Majority could care less about employment. 

[OMGImInPattaya]

Because they have strict gun control laws; the disarmed populace are sitting ducks for the criminals. There is a correlation between cities with such controls and high crime. Washington DC, NYC, and LA are the same.

 

An armed society is a polite society.

Edited September 30, 2016 by OMGImInPattaya

[NickJ]

Take away every single gun in the U.S. People would still be murdering one another. With Swords, bombs and homemade guns............... The inner cities would revert into an  even darker middle age reality.

[Pakboong]

Culling the herd is not a new idea. Some herds need more culling than others.

[Dagnabbit]

1 hour ago, ClutchClark said:

Wouldn't you think a Nationwide movement full of such emtionally charged people as BLM would have some interest in these senseless killings in Chicago?

 

I simply do not understand their complete absence of involvement to change this narrative.

 

Because they and we know that this is all about black culture.

 

And there IS a black culture - hence "black lives matter", "black music awards", "black history week" - of course, not all African Americans are brought into this by a long shot but there is a culture that is brought up on rap music and the idolisation of "gangstas" and gang-bangers.

 

It's become cool for kids to take their life in this direction.

 

And BLM know this but they can only point fingers outwards, not inwards.

 

[soalbundy]

culling themselves, what's bad about that ?

[Silurian]

5 hours ago, Strange said:

 

All this violence is "Cool" to a lot of them. Its a lifestyle they choose to be in. Majority could care less about employment. 

 

If violence is "cool" to them, then setup video gaming centers across Chicago geared towards FPS tournaments. Place a bunch of Xbox or PS4 consoles with Call Of Duty or Battlefield type games and let them virtually kill each other over and over again. Heck, setup their gangs in virtual land and give out awards and prizes based on how well they perform. Once you get them stuck in video game land, they will hardly come up for air (ask any parent).

[Jingthing]

17 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

culling themselves, what's bad about that ?

Because they're not wild game, they're human beings.

I agree with the people that see black on black violence as a big issue, but racist trumpian "alt-right" solutions are no solution at all. 

No, I don't have quick and easy answers either. 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Jingthing

[Saraburi121]

5 hours ago, Silurian said:

These gang youths need another outlet for all their energy and time. They need venues to distract them from the drugs and violence such as community centers, park activities, boxing/martial-arts gyms, internet cafes and other youth outreach programs. Also, creating summer time and after school jobs specifically for these youths would help stem the violence. Instead of spending money to incarcerate them, there needs to be a way to teach them skills to better integrate with potential jobs. Schools can also help out with sports, arts and other extracurricular activities. There are solutions beyond the knee jerk reaction of "stop and frisk" and more policing. You need to get to the root cause of why these violent incidents keep happening not just a clean up afterward.

The root cause is the lack of family structure and upbringing plus the degradation of American society in general.  You are a product of your environment.  

[ClutchClark]

5 hours ago, DaddyWarbucks said:

Those ideas all sound good but they've been conspicuous failures in practice.

 

 

One sentence says it all.

 

I wish I had that ability.

[Silurian]

9 minutes ago, Saraburi121 said:

The root cause is the lack of family structure and upbringing plus the degradation of American society in general.  You are a product of your environment.  

 

4 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

5 hours ago, DaddyWarbucks said:

Those ideas all sound good but they've been conspicuous failures in practice.

 

 

One sentence says it all.

 

I wish I had that ability.

 

Well, I am sure it is easy to tear down my solutions. It is easy to just complain and say nothing works. So what are your solutions?

[Saraburi121]

1 minute ago, Silurian said:

 

 

Well, I am sure it is easy to tear down my solutions. It is easy to just complain and say nothing works. So what are your solutions?

I commented on the root cause of the problem, lots of good ideas you suggested which some have worked and some failed.  My solution is good parenting and jobs that you can make a living on.  If I had the total solution I would run for office. 

[Pdaz]

Swift capital punishment for convicted murders/shooters and rapists. Compulsory military service for young gangbangers and troublemakers. Chaingangs, hard labour and long custodial sentences for re-offenders. Put the fear of God into them with real zero tolerance policies. In addition offer scholarships and apprentice positions to those who are keen to improve their lot. Help them succeed and give them an alternative to living in a ghetto but punish heavily those who resist joining the larger society. 

 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Pdaz said:

Swift capital punishment for convicted murders/shooters and rapists. Compulsory military service for young gangbangers and troublemakers. Chaingangs, hard labour and long custodial sentences for re-offenders. Put the fear of God into them with real zero tolerance policies. In addition offer scholarships and apprentice positions to those who are keen to improve their lot. Help them succeed and give them an alternative to living in a ghetto but punish heavily those who resist joining the larger society. 

 

Wow, at least you want to wait until they are convicted before killing them. Very "progressive" of you. 

[Pdaz]

I don't think allowing them to re-offend and end other innocent lives is very progressive either. 

 

Some people are just evil and beyond redemption. The World is not short of people so better to do away with the ones who kill and refuse to live in a civil manner. 

 

Bundy, Dahmer, Berkowitz and countless other multiple murderers, rapists and psychopaths only deserve the same compassion they showed their victims. ie None.

 

Empty the jails and kill them all. Good example to other potential criminals and would save millions of tax payers money better spent on the deserving.

[Pdaz]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Ronnie Hutchen, 28, was one of the month's first victims. An acknowledged member of the Traveling Vice Lords, he was a veteran of the gang scene in the Austin neighborhood on the city's west fringe, which is dotted by boarded-up houses and of knots of men and teens standing around in the middle of the day. Most of those with jobs or options have fled.

 

Police don't know why someone thrust a knife into Hutchen's chest. But he had been in many scrapes with rival gangs, and had 56 arrests over the years, mostly in drug and weapons cases.

 

56 arrests ? Guess he was just misunderstood and needed a support group chat.

Not a hardened criminal with the potential to murder and no interest to change his ways. 

[Silurian]

25 minutes ago, Saraburi121 said:

I commented on the root cause of the problem, lots of good ideas you suggested which some have worked and some failed.  My solution is good parenting and jobs that you can make a living on.  If I had the total solution I would run for office. 

 

Understood. I wish it was as easy as good parenting. Some of these families are single parents and some of the parents work double shifts to make ends meet. There isn't enough time in a day for these parents to properly manage their kids. Outside influences put a lot of pressure on these youths including music (lyrics), movies, online videos, peer pressure and the idea of quick money from illegal activities. There really is no one solution fits all in these cases but I feel that any steps to get them off the streets into a controlled environment will greatly assist.

[ClutchClark]

4 minutes ago, Silurian said:

 

Understood. I wish it was as easy as good parenting. Some of these families are single parents and some of the parents work double shifts to make ends meet. There isn't enough time in a day for these parents to properly manage their kids. Outside influences put a lot of pressure on these youths including music (lyrics), movies, online videos, peer pressure and the idea of quick money from illegal activities. There really is no one solution fits all in these cases but I feel that any steps to get them off the streets into a controlled environment will greatly assist.

 

As was stated previously these neighborhoods have received huge investments since the 1970's in the form of community centers and after-school programs ad nauseum. 

 

Yet this violence continues.

[ClutchClark]

19 minutes ago, Pdaz said:

 

56 arrests ? Guess he was just misunderstood and needed a support group chat.

Not a hardened criminal with the potential to murder and no interest to change his ways. 

 

The Gangsta lifestyle.

 

Wonder how many offspring he sired.

[HauptmannUK]

I lived and worked in the US for a year and quickly grew tired of news items about gun deaths and the constant undercurrent of agression in US society.

This was followed by spells working in the UK, France and Germany. It was so nice to walk around in the cities in the evening without wondering if some guy in a doorway would pull a gun, or a traffic incident would end up with a shooting. A lot of Americans are running with a very short fuse.

Sure, there is crime in all countries but the US has around 30000 gun deaths a year - staggering by any standards. Unbelievable that some people think the solution is MORE guns. Achieving a 'polite society' by having everyone scared out their wits doesn't sound very appealing.