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Immigration See other Immigration Articles Title: Police meet with South Park residents about gun violence Police meet with South Park residents about gun violence By HECTOR CASTRO Frustrated South Park residents, upset over yet another teenage shooting victim in their community, heard police officials yesterday say they have plans to combat the gun violence. "It's come to the point where it's a serious crisis, and we need to put an end to it," Seattle police Deputy Chief John Diaz told a group of about 50 mostly Latino residents who gathered at the South Park Community Center. Today, officials plan a press conference at Seattle police headquarters to discuss a task force of sorts involving federal and local law enforcement agencies and officials with the Mexican Consulate in Seattle to address the crime, some of it gang-related, that has plagued the Latino community in South Park and in other areas around King County. "We're just having such a problem in the Latino community, and they're asking for our help," Diaz said before last night's meeting of the Latino Advisory Council. Residents arrived angry and scared about the violence that has marred their streets. Those attending included the families of two murder victims, Fernando Esqueda and Omar Chavez, who died in separate shootings just over a year apart. Ignacio Ayala has lived in South Park for the past four years. He's had his car broken into, but what really worries him are the shootings. "I worry that it could happen to any of us and that the police don't seem to be doing anything," Ayala said. The latest shooting happened Sunday just before 11:30 p.m. The victim, a 16-year-old boy, was walking on 14th Avenue South near South Cloverdale Street with a group of others when someone in a passing car fired at least two shots. The gunfire struck the teen in the head; he remains at Harborview Medical Center. The car was described as a green, late 1990s Ford Thunderbird with two men inside, but police have not made any arrests. The other shootings include the April 18 slaying of Esqueda, also 16, who was shot as he sat in his brother's car at Cloverdale and South Eighth Street. Police got a description of the vehicle, a red compact with two men who had fired at the brothers just a day earlier; no arrest has been made in that case. Seattle police have beefed up their presence in South Park since Esqueda's murder, with extra patrols and units pulled in from other precincts. But the fact that most of the recent murders in South Park remain unsolved is another source of frustration, said Juan Garcia, who runs a boxing club for area youth. "Here we have stuff happening. Where are their investigations?" he said. Police last night told the audience they have made progress and have what they believe are promising leads in both Sunday's shooting and Esqueda's murder. But, the officials stressed, nothing can be accomplished without the help of the community. "We can't prevent violence and we can't solve crimes without your assistance, without your trust and without your cooperation," Chief Gil Kerlikowske said.
Poster Comment: Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 6.
#3. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#0)
They'd be bitching even louder if the police did what is necessary to put an end to all the violence happening there.
You mean like permanently deporting the illegals and locking up the remaining juvenile delinquents?
#7. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#6)
That's exactly what I mean. That would not be at all satisfactory to the residents of that neighborhood.
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