2 bodies found on Detroit's east side; Westland teens?

[firstandten]

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I'm not saying that you shouldn't be concerned [[or that he shouldn't learn to be prepared). But the likelihood of a carjacking is pretty remote. It's not impossible, but carjackings aren't regular occurrences on or near campus. If there were even 3 a year in the Midtown area, I'd be surprised. [[Though, I'm open to being corrected if someone has firmer data)

Teaching your grandson to be street smart would be a far useful place to direct your anxieties about violent crime. The types of stories I read about crime near 8 mile and Gratiot or near City Airport are about a foreign to me as it is to you, even though I live within the same city limits as those location.

Same city, very different experiences, from my POV.

Agreed

The key to surviving in the city is to be aware of your surroundings. You need to understand when you drive up to a drug store, party store , gas station, coney Island and it looks the least bit questionable with people hanging around outside don't go in. Don't engage in questionable behavior like buying drugs or hookers especially in areas you don't know. Don't flash money or jewelry in public places, because you need to understand you are being checked out whether you realize it or not. Many times you are being checked out because you look like a victim they just want to see how much of a victim they can make you. And if someone [[stranger) comes up on you and asks you a question look him dead in the eye and answer.

Unlike what you read in the papers, the majority of crimes aren't random.

Sometimes I don't even realize just how on-guard I am until I go outside the city like on vacation were you can let your guard down and you can actually feel a physical change. I've had friends tell me the same thing.

[rex]

Why do these boys matter more than the shooting victims who went mostly ignored from the other 364 days of the year?

You're the one suggesting they do. I'll feed the troll. I guess the answer you are looking for is because they are white. They went to Detroit, an overwhelming black city to presumably break the law. I can only imagine the blowback this would return if it was black kids from Detroit shot execution style in Livonia. Detroit Red would turn in his grave. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be here a half hour later demanding justice. It would be a total shitshow from the word go. Black kids kill one another every day in the city. To say its commonplace isn't so much a stretch.

[coracle]

Why do these boys matter more than the shooting victims who went mostly ignored from the other 364 days of the year?

There isn't enough free time in the day to keep up with and comment on all the murders that occur in Detroit; but in this case the circumstances are particularly poignant and heinous, they having been unnecessarily robbed and unnecessarily shot in the head for visiting the City.

[FlyingJ]

It's very true that the WSU campus is safer than the rest of the City. However, he will not be in the "bubble" of the campus all the time.

I was mugged @ Wayne State when I was little so I'd like to believe that, but I can't. University Of Southern California had a chance to move out to the San Fernando Valley in the 1960's, but took a pass. Now with gangbangers "flocking" the campus you've got all these Chinese nationals & naive East Coast uppercrust USC students who are now, in the parlance of a Detroit movie, "ice cream for freaks": http://www.myfoxla.com/story/1911002...t-crime-part-2

[Zacha341]

The increase of murders of adults, teens and 'children', taken to abandoned houses and fields and raped, burned [[5-yo Mariah Smith - the house still stands) or shot, or dumped after being shot, etc. - residents and otherwise - is disturbing! Period.

We've had pairs women/ men in cars trunks - car dumped! A body dumped near a police administration bldg, tall weeds? There are so many secluded, abandoned places to do the deed and go in Detroit. More homicides will occur in opportune areas.

[Zacha341]

Yep. Yet where's real their advocacy or service to bring justice in such said cases? Very little... I look at their response patterns and that conveys the AGENDA [[self promotion)!

As I said before the Sharpton/ Jackson duo or singular presence is absence regarding the black-on-black 'teen' and other violent crime! Not enough coverage and king-making media coverage for them to set a jet down at Metro Airport...

I can only imagine the blowback this would return if it was black kids from Detroit shot execution style in Livonia... Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be here a half hour later demanding justice. It would be a total shitshow from the word go. Black kids kill one another every day in the city. To say its commonplace isn't so much a stretch.

[Jimaz]

From today's Free Press: Westland teens' families await results of autopsies on 2 bodies found in Detroit

"Most of the time, they're not getting killed here. They are just getting dumped," said Hazel Walker, 46, who has lived on Lyford since she was a teenager.

That phrase "most of the time" suggests they're becoming accustomed to the aftermath of murder. That is so sad. At that point you may as well live in a war zone.

[coracle]

Jamez makes a very pertinent point;
"That phrase "most of the time" suggests they're becoming accustomed to the aftermath of murder. That is so sad. At that point you may as well live in a war zone. "
From 2000 to 2011 there was 4522 murders [[reported) in Detroit.
From 2001 to 2012 [[June) there was a loss of 2000 Americans in Afgahnistan.
So his point "you may as well live in a war zone" while said I'm sure with tongue in cheek nevertheless has relevance. Kinda puts things in perspective.

[Shollin]

I can list a few cities that have had more murders than deaths in Afghanistan.

[coracle]

I can list a few cities that have had more murders than deaths in Afghanistan.

I guess that makes it acceptable then for Detroit. Do any of these other cities have a population of 900,000 dropping to 700,000 in the same time period?

[Shollin]

I guess that makes it acceptable then for Detroit. Do any of these other cities have a population of 900,000 dropping to 700,000 in the same time period?

One of them lost 200,000 in the past decade, yes. You wanted "perspective" but this situation isn't unique to Detroit.

[coracle]

One of them lost 200,000 in the past decade, yes. You wanted "perspective" but this situation isn't unique to Detroit.

You've gone from "a few" to "one". Let's narrow it down a bit more. Was the 200,000 25% of it's population? And nobody claimed the situation is unique to Detroit but try explaining that to the family members of the 4522 that's been murdered here.

[Meddle]

Come back to this hemisphere and worry how many more little kids will disappear out of their parents' cars while their fathers make up stories about what happened.

Or think about how to protect 4 year old kids on playgrounds.

[Shollin]

You've gone from "a few" to "one". Let's narrow it down a bit more. Was the 200,000 25% of it's population? And nobody claimed the situation is unique to Detroit but try explaining that to the family members of the 4522 that's been murdered here.

I didn't know your original post had the premise that it only can include cities who lost 200,000 and who lost 25% of the population. Next it will be cities founded in 1701 whose name begins with a D and end in troit.

[firstandten]

I can list a few cities that have had more murders than deaths in Afghanistan.

You could probably take your pick of Mexican border towns, and some of that stuff is even spilling over to our side of the border.

[wardwood]

Why do these boys matter more than the shooting victims who went mostly ignored from the other 364 days of the year?

who said they did?

[Occurrence]

This city has terrible journalist. What does the fact that one of the victims has a medical marijuana card have to do with anything? If I were to be killed in the city, would they report that I have a script for Valium at the moment?

[Zacha341]

Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...#ixzz222AvrYYv

[Bham1982]

You could probably take your pick of Mexican border towns, and some of that stuff is even spilling over to our side of the border.

The Mexican border is one of the safest places in the U.S. El Paso has the lowest homicide rate for a city its size in the U.S.

Undocumented immigrants, BTW, have some of the lowest rates of illegal activity in the U.S. They're far, far more likely to be law abiding than the general public, for obvious reasons.

[Bham1982]

What does the fact that one of the victims has a medical marijuana card have to do with anything? If I were to be killed in the city, would they report that I have a script for Valium at the moment?

I certainly think it's relevant. Medical marijuana cards are basically unregulated, and marijuana is the illegal narcotic of choice [[and probably the biggest illegal economic driver) within city limits.

If valium were the narcotic of choice in Detroit, and responsible for tons of homicides, then I think it would be relevant if the victims were valium users.

[Meddle]

Interesting.

Three, or has it been four sets of 'Hood dumpings, and arrests in all cases.



Maybe they should be dumping them in the 'Burbs?

[jcole]

I certainly think it's relevant. Medical marijuana cards are basically unregulated, and marijuana is the illegal narcotic of choice [[and probably the biggest illegal economic driver) within city limits.

If valium were the narcotic of choice in Detroit, and responsible for tons of homicides, then I think it would be relevant if the victims were valium users.

Marijuana is NOT a narcotic.

[Jimaz]

You could probably take your pick of Mexican border towns, and some of that stuff is even spilling over to our side of the border.

The Mexican border is one of the safest places in the U.S. El Paso has the lowest homicide rate for a city its size in the U.S.

From what I've read, when the drug violence spills back into the United States, it leapfrogs far from the border to places as far as Atlanta. Not sure why though. Maybe a bigger market in larger cities.

[Bham1982]

Marijuana is NOT a narcotic.

Legally, it's a narcotic.

My point is that, regardless of one's views towards marijuana, these kids appeared to be dealing drugs. They weren't innocent victims. They entered Detroit with a large amount of cash, received drugs from their uncle, and then went off dealing.

They don't appear to be any different from black teens who are regularly killed in Detroit, but since they're white, they're treated differently by the press.

[Occurrence]

I certainly think it's relevant. Medical marijuana cards are basically unregulated, and marijuana is the illegal narcotic of choice [[and probably the biggest illegal economic driver) within city limits.

I'm pretty sure the crack trade in Detroit is far larger and more profitable than marijuana.