Auto Show Visitors Become Crime Victims

**Searay215** · January-08-10, 10:36 AM

Auto Show Visitors Become Crime Victims

Mayor Will Address Issue

POSTED: Friday, January 8, 2010
UPDATED: 10:20 am EST January 8, 2010

DETROIT -- Detroit police are on alert after auto show visitors become crime victims.
Several men are in town from Los Angeles for the Auto Show and said they were robbed on the streets of Detroit.

Detroit Visitors Become Crime Victims
The men told police they started at Slows Barbecue for dinner and as they headed to Harbor House for a drink, they noticed several teens, around 14 or 15 years old, running toward them with guns in their hands.
"My colleague peeled in another direction and was confronted by one of the teens and robbed. I ran into the Detroit Athletic Club and called police," said one of the victims who did not want his identity released.
The teens stole one wallet and some money.
The men said they have been visiting Detroit for almost 10 years and this was the first bad experience.
The mayor's office released this statement, "Unfortunately, incidents such as this occur everyday in urban areas across the country. The city of Detroit, under the leadership of Chief Warren Evans, is working to address these issues."
No one was injured.

More Good news..............

**Detroitnerd** · January-08-10, 10:45 AM

Sigh. Well, I guess it's OK. Crimes like this occur in urban areas everywhere. I suppose that means we're fine here.

**Searay215** · January-08-10, 11:07 AM

I guess they LA guys have never been to the gang infested side of LA.....Home of the most gangs in America.

**bailey** · January-08-10, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Searay215

I guess they LA guys have never been to the gang infested side of LA.....Home of the most gangs in America.

so are you saying that one should assume the stadium district/ CBD of Detroit is the equivalent of South central?

**Danny** · January-08-10, 11:35 AM

So a couple of Auto Show vistors got robbed in Downtown Detroit. They must know that Detroit just like any other U.S. city is filled with violent crime. The best they could is be on their gaurd.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Crime happens everywhere

In memoriam: Neda Soltani

**eno** · January-08-10, 11:52 AM

With a heavy international media presence in town for the Auto Show and the legal proceedings regarding the terrorist bomber, you have to wonder how Detroit will be perceived when incidents like this are merely overlooked and dismissed as possibly happening anywhere. It indicates a level of conditioning to accept a group of teens waving handguns seeking out victims to threaten and rob.

**Searay215** · January-08-10, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

so are you saying that one should assume the stadium district/ CBD of Detroit is the equivalent of South central?

No if I were comparing I would have said so.....just sayin.

**GPCharles** · January-08-10, 12:00 PM

They were walking from Slows to Harbor House and ended up in the vicinity of the DAC?

**gumby** · January-08-10, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by GPCharles

They were walking from Slows to Harbor House and ended up in the vicinity of the DAC?

Yeah I caught that too.

**pffft** · January-08-10, 12:25 PM

I wondered about that too, Charles...how do you walk from Slow's to the Harbor House and end up in front of the DAC?

**ronaldj** · January-08-10, 12:26 PM

This story does not ring true. Were they walking from Slow's on Michigan near the train station to the Harbor House on Clinton or were they in a cab? Were they accosted near the Harbor House or on their way? 1300 Beaubien is only a couple of blocks away from Clinton Street. How come they got to the DAC, which is across Gratiot. How connected were the victims to be able to enter the DAC at a late hour to be able to call the police?

I do not question 14-15 year olds with guns but in my experience there are not too many people on a snow covered sreet downtown at any time.

smudge pot · January-08-10, 12:31 PM

Bandits, not thugs. Give credit where credit is due.

**casscorridor** · January-08-10, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by eno

With a heavy international media presence in town for the Auto Show and the legal proceedings regarding the terrorist bomber, you have to wonder how Detroit will be perceived when incidents like this are merely overlooked and dismissed as possibly happening anywhere. It indicates a level of conditioning to accept a group of teens waving handguns seeking out victims to threaten and rob.

This assertion is rediclious. Incidents like this DO happen anywhere. We may be conditioned to be ready for incidients like this, and to not make them the end of the word, but that certianly does NOT mean "accept" them. You have to understand where these teens are coming from. Second-generation chronic unemployment, crack cocaine, shattered families, broken education system, no hope for the future, not jobs besides criminal activity. They inherited this, they did not earn this. Although robbing people is unnacceptable in any curcumstances, it doesn't take much humanity to realize why these teens are doing this, and realize that we should be angry at the troubled system, not the troubled teens.

As far as nationl/international media coverage, perhaps the media will sensationalize this story because it boosts their ratings. But even the victims said this was their first bad experience in Detroit, after coming 10 years. Not bad, eh? I highly doubt this will be any story at all. But because you brought up the xmas terror plot, I must say one last thing:

Is there not a parrallel between troubled teens robbing and people of the global using terror as a desperate measure? Yet again, it is the terrorist system that is the problem not the terrorizer. America and Europe have been literally fucking up the middle-east for more than a century. 9/11 would have NEVER happened if it was not for U.S. and Western imperialism/colonialism. We have to see that there is humanity in the Nigerian who attempted the attack. With so much islamophobia, so much hatred, so much revenge-seeking, it is hard to see that humanity, and thefore our own humanity. And therefore our solution to terror is terror itself.

**eno** · January-08-10, 01:11 PM

Your post is an excellent example of the conditioning I'm talking about. Without the benefit of an interview with the teen perps of this crime, you've cobbled together a generic, some might say rhetorical, excuse for their behavior absenting them of any responsibility for their actions and enabling them for repeating this anti-social behavior. That you seek to expand your argument to the international stage is ridiculous and not worthy of consideration nor comment.

**R8RBOB** · January-08-10, 01:20 PM

Okay a couple of out-of-towners got robbed. That's not good but what does that say about Detroiters who are robbed every day? That it is not a big deal but if you are from out of town it is a tragedy.

**iheartthed** · January-08-10, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by eno

With a heavy international media presence in town for the Auto Show and the legal proceedings regarding the terrorist bomber, you have to wonder how Detroit will be perceived when incidents like this are merely overlooked and dismissed as possibly happening anywhere. It indicates a level of conditioning to accept a group of teens waving handguns seeking out victims to threaten and rob.

Do you think the national media reports from a cornfield in Iowa? Most are pretty desensitized to urban crime since they mostly come from large urban areas. A couple kids robbing some guys with a fishy story is a non-issue when one of the biggest stories of the year is a terrorist who tried to blow up a plane over your city.

**casscorridor** · January-08-10, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by eno

Your post is an excellent example of the conditioning I'm talking about. Without the benefit of an interview with the teen perps of this crime, you've cobbled together a generic, some might say rhetorical, excuse for their behavior absenting them of any responsibility for their actions and enabling them for repeating this anti-social behavior. That you seek to expand your argument to the international stage is ridiculous and not worthy of consideration nor comment.

You obviously don't understand what I was saying. I don't think they should be "absented of any responsibility" and I don't wish to "enable them to repeat this anti-social behavior." Rather, what I am saying, is that the realy issue here is not the teen's anti-social behavior, but rather OUR anti-social behavior, and social insitutions that encourage anti-social behavior. You can place 100% responsiblity on these young people, when it is our society that allowed for this, even encouraged it. When we have an al capone's economy, how can we expect anyone to act in any other way than like Al Capone? We live in an anti-social society, one which rewards greed. We condem violence when it is purpetrated by young black people in the inner city, but when it is ourselves, our our military or our leaders committing violence, we turn a blind eye. We find ways of justifying it. How does the government drasticly reduce violence? By drastically reducing their violence. By ending the war, by dimilitarizing our communities and our schools. Ever notice how DPS schools are like prisons? We live in a society where young people doing these robbings are set on a track toward prison, where every other male they know has been to prison. And you sit here, and say "we're conditioned to brush it off, and enable them to do it more." You know what is really enabling them to do it more is the prison system, the police, the military, the wars, the media, our education system, etc. They shouldn't be stripped of responsibility for their actions, but neither should we, or our government.

**Diehard** · January-08-10, 01:29 PM

Dear knuckleheads,
While we realize it's tempting to see all those out-of-town visitors who may not have the street smarts to avoid the likes of you, please consider leaving your toy guns in the drawer and staying home during the Auto Show. Yes, they do look like easy pickings, free raw meat to rats like you, but where's the fun in that? How about robbing the drug dealers in your own neighborhood? They have money, lots of it, and there's the added challenge of knowing that they'll probably fight back. Imagine the street cred you'd gain from getting yo' money from someone tougher than a middle-aged Dutch journalist or a couple of lost Asian guys wandering down a dark street! You can't buy "respect" like that.
Be aware, too, that there will be lots of cops out looking for you, and they have Tasers, and the people of Detroit will tar and feather you if you get caught messing with the Auto Show people. So please, for the sake of our city and your own pathetic asses, resist the urge. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Detroit

**Detroitnerd** · January-08-10, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

You obviously don't understand what I was saying. I don't think they should be "absented of any responsibility" and I don't wish to "enable them to repeat this anti-social behavior." Rather, what I am saying, is that the realy issue here is not the teen's anti-social behavior, but rather OUR anti-social behavior, and social insitutions that encourage anti-social behavior. You can place 100% responsiblity on these young people, when it is our society that allowed for this, even encouraged it. When we have an al capone's economy, how can we expect anyone to act in any other way than like Al Capone? We live in an anti-social society, one which rewards greed. We condem violence when it is purpetrated by young black people in the inner city, but when it is ourselves, our our military or our leaders committing violence, we turn a blind eye. We find ways of justifying it. How does the government drasticly reduce violence? By drastically reducing their violence. By ending the war, by dimilitarizing our communities and our schools. Ever notice how DPS schools are like prisons? We live in a society where young people doing these robbings are set on a track toward prison, where every other male they know has been to prison. And you sit here, and say "we're conditioned to brush it off, and enable them to do it more." You know what is really enabling them to do it more is the prison system, the police, the military, the wars, the media, our education system, etc. They shouldn't be stripped of responsibility for their actions, but neither should we, or our government.

Good for you, CassCo. If we closed a few hundred military bases, I bet we'd have enough money to educate our young people properly. They'll pay you $1,000 a day to kill people, but a pittance to educate them. Sad but true.

**Diehard** · January-08-10, 01:39 PM

P.S. to the knuckleheads: Maybe you should consider robbing these folks instead:

http://freep.com/article/20100107/BL...o-show-protest

I bet some of them will be packing.

**Hermod** · January-08-10, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Good for you, CassCo. If we closed a few hundred military bases, I bet we'd have enough money to educate our young people properly. They'll pay you $1,000 a day to kill people, but a pittance to educate them. Sad but true.

You do realize that most of those "hundreds of military bases" are a Marine Detachment at an embassy or half a dozen to two dozen guys at a weather station or commo facility. Outside of the two war zones [[Iraq and Afghanistan), the number of military bases has shrunk dramatically in the past 50 years.

You probably call for reinstatement of the 91% tax rate on high income people so that the feds have enough money to use for education. Instead of that, keep the Fed marginal rate at 35% and let Michigan and the other states increase their income tax to 55% top rate on the "filthy rich" and pay for education..

If you doubled the per pupil spending rate in Detroit schools, will all of the problems go away?? Don't bet on it..

**sumas** · January-08-10, 01:56 PM

Sorry story sounds fishy to me. Really, they say they walked from Slows to Harbor House? Does anyone believe LA natives would take a lengthy stroll like that on a Michigan winter night?

A gang of young teen thugs all armed and showing them ...near the main police station and Greek town?

Visitors to the International Auto Show that starts more than a week from now?

Most likely they did get robbed, but probably a hooker/ pimp situation. Can't tell that to the wives back home!

This story is so made up!

**EastsideAl** · January-08-10, 02:03 PM

Yes, this entire thing sounds far-fetched and bogus. Something is clearly missing from their story.

**Detroitnerd** · January-08-10, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

You do realize that most of those "hundreds of military bases" are a Marine Detachment at an embassy or half a dozen to two dozen guys at a weather station or commo facility. Outside of the two war zones [[Iraq and Afghanistan), the number of military bases has shrunk dramatically in the past 50 years.

You probably call for reinstatement of the 91% tax rate on high income people so that the feds have enough money to use for education. Instead of that, keep the Fed marginal rate at 35% and let Michigan and the other states increase their income tax to 55% top rate on the "filthy rich" and pay for education..

If you doubled the per pupil spending rate in Detroit schools, will all of the problems go away?? Don't bet on it..

Even if some of the "bases" are small, many are not, and many are some of the largest in the world. Even after the trim job under Clinton, there are about 700 overseas bases and 6,000 in the United States and its possessions. No other country even comes close. Add up the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth most powerful militaries in the world and still nobody comes close.

As for that 91 percent tax rate for the upper income bracket, I don't think that's a horrible thing. It was the law under Eisenhower, a man who once said he never saw a communist he wouldn't hang.

What it comes down to is more than money, of course. Doubling, tripling, quadrupling money spent does not necessarily produce results. [[Look at all the money we're throwing at the wars that we're stalemated in, for instance.) But what it really comes down to is priorities. For me, having well-educated fellow Americans is more important that occupying a country so oil companies can build a pipeline through it. Knowing that anybody can go to a hospital when they need it is more important to me than shoring up countries with poor human rights records. Having polite and courteous young people when I'm old and gray is more important to me than ensuring some fruit company had some hard-line general on their side.

Yes, it all comes down to how we distribute our wealth. And if we cannot afford to run the world's affairs and educate our young people, I'd say the home front is more important. So, yes, bring the troops home and begin a peaceful transition from wasteful imperial adventures to running the country well. Seems reasonable enough to this American.

**janesback** · January-08-10, 02:07 PM

cass corider, you stated in your reply

"9/11 would have NEVER happened if it was not for U.S. and Western imperialism/colonialism. We have to see that there is humanity in the Nigerian who attempted the attack. With so much islamophobia, so much hatred, so much revenge-seeking, it is hard to see that humanity, and thefore our own humanity. And therefore our solution to terror is terror itself"

Just sitting here shaking my head and trying to make sense of your post......I guess for the most then, guns, violence, drugs and thuggery is OK, since it was inherited to this generation , since they were brought up poor............

Im not going to bore you with " poor" stories, and the alcoholic father who ruined our lives with his drinking and brutality...no, that would take away from your post

What I will say is that when I went thru the pain, the victimization, the cruelty and lack of a father, I learned what hell was all about , and decided at the age of 10, to do something about it.........

I got educated, got a job, went back to school and nights, and then worked harder, got the company to help pay tuition because my grades were so good, and for 5 years, went to work, then school till 10 at night to get my other degree......

I got nothing from no one....

Your attempt to justify their actions is a joke sir..........Just like that basketball player, Gilbret Arenas, the one who should have been jailed for bringing guns into the locker room....

but oh no, just laught it off, its not a big thing..........

Attitudes like yours are what is destroying this country........ what a shame