Tuesday, July 29, 2008

snitches get stitches

Another one of my former students was shot in the head and killed last week. He was 17, smart-ish and from a nice Haitian family. His family could not control him, as they only spoke Creole and worked 24-7. He was a tad too smart, and a tad too stupid to get too far away from trouble. But B had just managed to complete his GED and was about to start community college in the fall. Not an easy feat for someone who has been a banger since age 10.

The funeral was held yesterday, with more cops on detail than after 9-11. During the service, one of my staff members started talking to a few of B's "friends" aka gang members. All 30 of whom rolled out of two hum-v limos wearing t-shirts with B's picture on them. Two of them, also former "alumni", told this man, (who was always a major confidante to our kids) that they knew exactly who had murdered J but that they weren't bothering to tell the cops, because they were going "to take care of it".

'Man' tells me today, shaking in his boots. Gives me names of the supposed doers (one of them another alum). I implore him to share info with cops. He is too afraid, fucked up from whole scene.

I call cops, give my name, names of perps. Detectives had already had two of the 3 names. Thanked me for info, and said they were on their way to find #3. Asked me to call back when I got more info.

Shake head.

Doing my duty?

5 comments:

andtheend. said...

yes.

Rambler said...

You took action, now the tough part, let go of the results.

mamalizza said...

can we please pool our money and start a parenting commune in vermont?

Tricia said...

i don't blame him for being afraid, but yes, you're doing your duty. this is so tragic, the poor kids parents.

retotted said...

It is madness. and yes, liza if you can figger a way for us to commune, i'd be happy as a clam. However, I'm a warm climate person, can we do mexico instead of vermont?