Doesn't Take Much to Kill and Die
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| Mon, 08-17-2009 - 10:33am |
TAMPA, Fla. – A dispute over line-cutting at a roadside food stand led to the shooting death of a bystander and the serious injury of another man, Tampa police said.
Police arrested two men in the case Friday, Juan Martinez-Morales, 20, and Leeching-Hong Luberisse, 18. Both were booked into jail Saturday on charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Hillsborough County jail records.
It's unclear who cut in line. But on Aug. 8, Luberisse punched Eriberto Reyes, 27, while waiting at a vendor's food cart that was set up on Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa police reported. Martinez-Morales then pulled a gun and shot Reyes three times in the abdomen, police said. A stray bullet hit Alquan Garner, 23, who was not involved in the dispute. Garner got in a car and drove off but crashed a short distance away. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his wound. Reyes was taken to the same hospital and remained in serious condition.
Police learned where Martinez-Morales and Luberisse were staying last week, and officers staked out their apartment Friday. After Luberisse left, police went in the apartment and found Martinez-Morales. Luberisse was followed from the apartment, pulled over and arrested.
Luberisse and Martinez-Morales were being held without bail. Jail records did not show if they had an attorney.
Garner left behind a fiancee, Sarah Mayor.
(It doesn't seem to take much to kill and die these days. We are either growing or importing a dangerous and violent addition to our already violent culture; people who don't even give a second thought to pulling out a gun or a knife and killing anyone who is in their way.
This is just a taste of our weekend here in Metro Atlanta:
A 38 year old woman was abducted as she walked along a rural road chatting with her boyfriend on the phone. Police have found her cell phone and other items belonging to her, but days of searching for the woman have been futile.
A man leaped from the second story window of his home to escape 4 men who had burst into his house and shot him.
A 27 year old woman stabbed her husband to death.
A fender bender accident leads to the shooting death of two people.
A teenager was stabbed at a high school football game.
What a busy weekend. And this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Is it my imagination or are people just becoming crazier by the minute?)


Because
People have always had tendencies to violence. Nature of the beast, literally. Just a reminder that hangings used to be public events and were anticipated/attended with more than a little blood thirstiness.
IMHO, successful societies are those where resources have an even-handed distribution, communication (both speaking AND listening) is valued, and violence is a rarity. In those terms, our society isn't particularly successful. Capitalism has undue influence, we are fed by a media diet of sensationalism and voyeurism (all the "reality" shows) none of which gets its impact from reasoned communication. And ******figuratively ducking and covering*****the NRA has convinced too damn many politicians that the Second Right gives just about anyone the means with which to kill in the blink of an eye.
Jabberwocka