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Gunfire erupted Saturday night in two of three trouble spots. |
Mulling the cost to Plainfield taxpayers of having cops running patients to area hospitals the other day (see here), I was at least thankful that the spate of recent shootings had eased up.
Too soon, it appears.
Gunfire resumed Saturday night, with reports of shots fired in the Liberty Village neighborhood, and later in the night at Elmwood Gardens.
Though no persons were hit, I am told several cars were hit by bullets and shell casings were found in the area.
The area around the three housing projects which are managed by the Plainfield Housing Authority has been the site of a spate of recent shootings and one of 2010's three homicides.
Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has launched an effort to stem the violence with teams of volunteers going through the neighborhoods on Tuesday evenings with leaflets asking residents to join in the anti-violence crusade by taking specific steps.
Harold Gibson, the former Plainfield Councilor who heads up the Union County Sheriff's anti-gang effort, said in a letter in the Courier last Thursday (see here) that a recent editorial overlooked an important point --
...just who are the gangs and gang members? Some will not like my position on this matter. The facts are gangs and gang members are not some group of foreigners from out of state, country, or city. No strangers are coming into Plainfield shooting or robbing our citizens. No strangers are peddling drugs on our street corners. Gang members are our own children, nephews, nieces, brothers, and sisters who lie down in our homes at night and eat at our dinner tables.Late Sunday night, there were more shootings, with reports that victims were hit.
If we want to look at some of the causes of gang activities, we should start by looking in the mirror. We should ask ourselves, "What do I know about the gangs and their members?" Many residents know who the culprits are but fear keeps them from coming forth with information...
There were two separate shooting incidents -- one in the 100-block of North Avenue (where there is a bar which has had incidents in the past) and another in the 300-block of West Front Street (where there is also a bar in front of which a double stabbing occurred in late June -- see Courier story here). Victims in both Sunday incidents are reported to be Hispanic males.
Is Plainfield becoming an equal-opportunity gunplay community?
- Plainfield Today: "Muhlenberg SED has hidden cost to Plainfield taxpayers, public safety"
- Courier: "2 Plainfield men stabbed on West Front Street"
- Letter, Courier: "Look close to home in search of gangs"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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2 comments:
Institute right to carry laws and watch violent crime go down. Its been prooven to work in every state that adopts it. We have the second strictest gun control in the country. Hows it workin out for ya plainfield? Outlaw the guns and only the outlaws will have them.
You probably wont post this, but halleyouyer!!! as Madea would say it! A black man that actually has the balls to quote the facts! Mr Gibson is 100% on the money! These are our own people, not strangers coming in from the outside. Our own killing our own. And Anon at 11:16 is also right on the money. States that allow you to carry do not have these issues. Why pull a gun on someone else who likely has a gun. Hmmm. Again, praise to Mr Gibson!
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