urbanSTL

^ oh man, I see there are over 200 comments on that story.... I think I'll avoid looking at them!

roger wyoming II wrote:^ oh man, I see there are over 200 comments on that story.... I think I'll avoid looking at them!

Let me guess. 1/4 of them involve Obama and/or "Obama's sons".

I usually avoid commenting on crime threads because they tend to turn into racial train-wrecks.

But I can't avoid commenting on this incident.

People have the right to protect themselves against robbers and violent senseless death; but if the robbers - and victims - had followed the park's curfew (10pm) or had been instructed to do so by park authorities - this incident might have been avoided.

Nonetheless, had I been in the victim's shoes, I likely would have reacted similarly to protect myself. Although I don't condone the behavior, it's easy to understand the dynamic of up-to-no-gooders lurking for victims, but who in the hell jogs in a (St. Louis) city park at 11pm? A man packing heat, I suppose, but still, something kind of smells. A veteran police sheriff breaking park curfew rules? Interesting.

About three years ago, I was entering Forest Park in a car just after 10pm - near the Grand Basin. A Park Ranger immediately informed us that the park was closed and encouraged us to leave. We hadn't been in the park for five minutes. We left.

How in the heck were these people able to be in the park one whole hour after it had closed - especially after the recent uptick in crime in the park?

I don't want this park ruined. The city has to do a better job of enforcing park curfews - especially at Forest Park. It's too valuable an asset for criminals and opportunists to ruin.

My high school summer job for three years was spent working at the Muny, and from that I've spent lots of time in Forest Park on the Muny grounds long after everyone else in STL has gone home. And, there is no one in Forest Park at night, especially on weekends, other than (a) people who work there, (b) people taking traffic short-cuts and don't get out of their cars, (c) people hooking up outside of their homes (with the gay hookups supposedly around Kennedy Park), and (d) thuggish dudes looking to cause trouble. I've never seen or ever heard of recreational exercisers in Forest Park other than when the Midnight Ramble Bike Ride went through maybe four years ago.

This fine deputy from Saint Charles County, I can only assume, was out with his "jogging friend" on a hookup when all this went down. Because no one, NO ONE, goes jogging in Forest Park in the middle of the night, because seriously, who the hell goes jogging after 11PM on a weeknight in an urban park after curfew? Someone who's really there looking to use his gun, and I don't mean his sidearm.

No matter. Good takedowns here by that Deputy.

We're up to 79 homicides (a stabbing and a shooting this weekend, a stabbing in the middle of last week, two shootings the previous weekend).

Perhaps the most depressing crime story of the week is the 16-year-old who shot another 16-year-old after they feuded at a club:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 04601.html

stlhistory wrote:We're up to 79 homicides (a stabbing and a shooting this weekend, a stabbing in the middle of last week, two shootings the previous weekend).

Perhaps the most depressing crime story of the week is the 16-year-old who shot another 16-year-old after they feuded at a club:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 04601.html

"Club 187"????? *facepalm*

downtown2007 wrote:No different than any other city pal.

Huh?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/187_(slang)

Please tell me this is an underage club and not some place that has a liquor license. Because if so, who in the city is issuing permits for a Club "Murder"?

With a bit of luck, the city just may tally under 100 homicides this year. (I believe we're around 79 right now and if we have the same number this year as last for the remainder of the year we'll be around 105.) Besides the obvious benefits of less carnage to those in the community, how much benefit would accrue if this psychic barrier is broken? Certainly there'd be some headlines, but if that can be sustained and the number continues to drop I could see some real positive changes in perception. along with reality.

What was disappointing for Saint Louis is that we were not able to sustain the drop seen in 2002 and 2003 when the numbers went back up through 2008.... I think that is rather unusual or most big cities, which have seen more sustained drops.

mattonarsenal wrote:Back to the Forest Park shooting... runners talk and cops talk. So here is the scuttlebutt from a St. Louis police officer that is a patient of a running friend of mine...

This was a clandestine meeting of a single 23-year old woman and a married sheriff deputy. They were running an/or strolling around the park when the suspicious men appeared at a distance. At this point the woman expressed some concern, but rather than walk away toward his car or the edge of the park, he turned into the park and toward the men and patted his concealed gun to reassure the woman that he could handle the situation. At this point the suspicious guys became more aggressive saying something like "What do you think you are doing in this park?" and one showed a gun, then at some point the shots flew.

Obviously this is through the grapevine so take it for what its worth.

Even if this story is 100% accurate, what's your point? Seems a few have focused more of their energy on a cop's marital issues and are less worried about 3 gangbanger (wannabes?) running around the park with guns that without a doubt they purchased legally, background checks and all.

Yes, even when packing I would probably turn the other way, but maybe not everyone feels like they should have to live their lives differently because some thugs might rob and kill them.