When is a spike in violence big enough to be worth worrying about? How about when the mayor feels compelled to call a news conference to tell us there's nothing to worry about?
Henry reassured the public there is no need to feel unsafe because the recent round of shootings were not random but were instead due to gangs, drugs and domestic violence. “If you're not involved in one of these things, you should be OK. But if you see something, let the police know. When people work with police, we see positive results,” Henry told reporters.
Nope, sorry, that's just not so. Even people who are not involved in gangs and drugs can be affected when warring players or factions take their fights to public spaces, as they often do. Bystanders can get shot, nieghborhoods start feeling unsafe, the whole city suffers. Even domestic violence can spiil over to affect those not involved, as the incident this week demonstrates. The scumbag took his victim off a bus in front of horrified eyewitnesses, including children, and took a 3-year-old hostage before the police took him out.
