Good for You, Grandma
From the Rainier Valley Post, news that at least one of the suspects in an incident at RBHS on March 10th turned himself in police at the insistence of his grandmother. The backstory:
On Tues., March 8, several students said they witnessed a shooting right outside the school at about 10 am. Apparently, the incident was not immediately reported to police.
There were no injuries, but two days later, shortly after 10 am on March 10, three men showed up at the school looking for two girls that had witnessed the shooting. The men ignored a security guard who insisted they leave, and instead, pushed by him in their attempts to confront the girls, before eventually being escorted out of the building.
What the cops had to say:
I love that grandma who did the right thing for her grandson. Tough love works.
On Tues., March 8, several students said they witnessed a shooting right outside the school at about 10 am. Apparently, the incident was not immediately reported to police.
There were no injuries, but two days later, shortly after 10 am on March 10, three men showed up at the school looking for two girls that had witnessed the shooting. The men ignored a security guard who insisted they leave, and instead, pushed by him in their attempts to confront the girls, before eventually being escorted out of the building.
What the cops had to say:
This guy attempted to intimidate a witness in one crime, and now he’s locked-up for another. Although direct witness intimidation attempts are few and far between, that result is actually not uncommon.
People should know that actual incidents of witness intimidation are extremely rare (despite how much it is over-hyped). This guy made himself out to be some super-hardcore tough guy, and in the end his grandmother made him turn himself in. That’s not uncommon either.Detective Witt added that “the South Precinct works in concert with Seattle Public Schools Security and the Seattle Parks department to ensure incidents like this are averted” by providing a high presence during lunch hours, after school and during special events.
I love that grandma who did the right thing for her grandson. Tough love works.
Comments
What caught my eye (and, to state upfront: I'm not complaining, and not complaining about complaining, nor complaining about those who complain about complainers...)
is this:
“the South Precinct works in concert with Seattle Public Schools Security and the Seattle Parks department to ensure incidents like this are averted” by providing a high presence during lunch hours, after school and during special events."
Half the opporunity gap between those who have and those who don't would be eliminated if communities (and grandmas) could involved in the WHOLE city, making it so heavy police presence was not necessary at our south-end schools, just as it is not now necessary at our north end schools. What must it be like for a child to grow up where cops are needed at the schools? They usually aren't at the north-end schools, are they (except perhaps for dances), they're not hanging around at lunch....
What does the need for a police presence tell a child about the place she or he lives?
Why do the citizens of the city, as whole, tolerate such a situation, or allow for the conditions necessary for it, or tacityly ignore it?
WV suggests the micies know, but I don't.
It's hard to know at this point how much difference it will make in her grandson's life, because he's far from a young child now, but we can hope, right?
If grandma happens to be reading here, or if you know her, tell her: THANK YOU, you did the right thing!
I'm glad they are there, too. My earlier post was wistfully hoping for a day when students didn't have to have such a strong police presence.