Comments posted on other social media sites the last few days seem to be stating that Hartford's recent homicide victims are the result of their drug dealing ways. Now I don't doubt that many of the victims are living less than stellar, crime free lifestyles. But I have also not seen HPD state that they are all drug dealers , or even make the link for that matter between the homicides and any alleged motives. I think the posters are ready to assume that since they are murdered, they must be up to no good.
You know what they say happens when you "assume".
This morning a visiting pastor from Shrewsbury , Massachusetts was shot 4 times in front of the Church of the Nazarene on Capitol Avenue. The pastor's crime crime? Sticking American flags into the ground lining the sidewalk of the church in honor of Memorial Day. If you fall in line with the Downtown thinking, he must be a drug dealer to invite being shot 4 times.
Also, many of the recent shootings involve numerous shots fired, evidence shows in some cases 25 or more rounds fired. In one of the cases after 26 rounds, the victim was only grazed once. Where do you think those other rounds went? Accuracy is clearly not the priority or strong point of Hartford's shooters. Who knows where the other rounds landed
Could an innocent victim just driving by on Main Street take a bullet? Could a child sleeping in their bedroom be a victim of wayward bullets. How about a senior sitting by their front window watching television. To say that the violence only affects drug dealers is both ignorant as well as irresponsible. We should be screaming at our City leadership to end this violence, not condoning it by thinking " I am not a drug dealer so it won't happen to me"
And anyone that knows anything about economic development should understand that violent crime , especially homicides and gun violence makes it very difficult to attract new residents and businesses, no matter what the excuse. Anyone who has paid attention to Chief Rovella's public speeches knows he often partners Hartford's crime rate with the possible success or future of Hartford's Economic Development potential. To ignore the connection is shortsighted.
Until then, sentencing criminals to death at the hands of other criminals in Hartford is not acceptable. We will probably see many innocent victims of Hartford's death penalty by the end of summer of we are willing to accept it.
Luckily Pastor Seely is expected to survive his shooting, at least 10 others so far this year have not.
At least one Police Official told me this morning Pastor Seely's shooting may have been a gang related type of initiation to show that the shooter "was worthy", If that has any possibility of being true, that is a very scary thought.
Mayor Segarra and Council, what is the plan? Have you thought about what needs to be done. Show us some leadership please.