Seven-year-old shot dead in Chicago

[neon]

The girl's name was Heaven. She was killed yesterday.

[sammyrock]

Shame... this has to stop.

[cleodine velvet jackson]

Damn shame, the Heaven and her mother were just selling lemonade!!!

"The city this week gave a $1 million grant to an intervention group, CeaseFire, which hires former gang members as counselors who try to interrupt the cycles of revenge killings " (see story below). When has this EVER deterred crime? Just a waste of money!!!


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...85R1KV20120628

7-year-old girl named Heaven latest Chicago murder victim

By Andrew Stern
CHICAGO | Thu Jun 28, 2012 4:30pm EDT
(Reuters) - Seven-year-old Heaven Sutton was selling cold drinks and candy at a street stand with her mother when she was shot to death, becoming the 253rd victim this year of Chicago's surging murder rate, police said on Thursday.

Sutton and her mother, Ashake Banks, were about to close up their stand on Wednesday night when two men approached and began shooting. Heaven was shot in the chest, and a 19-year-old man standing nearby was wounded in the leg, police said.

"This is not about crime. This is about values. Take your gang conflict away from a 7-year-old," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel angrily told reporters.

"You have a 7-year-old selling lemonade," he said. "Where were you raised and who raised you? Stay away from the kids."

Emanuel pledged to make Chicago's streets safe when he became mayor last year.

Chicago Police Chief Garry McCarthy, who has sought to counter a 37 percent rise in murders so far this year, said police had strong leads in the case but no arrests had been made.

Most of the 253 murders so far this year in the nation's third-largest city have occurred in impoverished neighborhoods on the South and West Sides.

Frequent shootings in Heaven Sutton's West Side neighborhood had prompted her to plead with her mother to move.

"'Mom, let's move, I want to move, Mom, I'm so anxious'," Sutton had begged her mother, Banks said in an interview with local radio. Sutton was excited about an upcoming family vacation, and wanted them to move when they returned.

Banks urged the killer to turn himself in, saying of her daughter, "she didn't have to die because he was trying to kill somebody else."

The city this week gave a $1 million grant to an intervention group, CeaseFire, which hires former gang members as counselors who try to interrupt the cycles of revenge killings.

Analysts have said a number of factors may be at work, including high jobless rates, a splintering of street gangs fighting over turf and drug-dealing, and unusually warm weather that has drawn people outside and into the line of fire.

Federal law enforcement agencies are also active in the effort to combat the epidemic of street violence, said Thomas Ahearn, an agent in the Chicago office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"There's no way of knowing how many guns are in this area," Ahearn said, adding all seized guns are tracked back to their source and their last legal owner.

Straw purchases, in which someone buys guns legally then resells them to gang members, are a big problem, Ahearn said. The third-largest source of guns used in crimes in Chicago after Illinois and neighboring Indiana is Mississippi, where numerous Chicago gangs have contacts, he said.

(Editing by James Dalgleish)

[JMJ]

Damn shame, the Heaven and her mother were just selling lemonade!!!

"The city this week gave a $1 million grant to an intervention group, CeaseFire, which hires former gang members as counselors who try to interrupt the cycles of revenge killings " (see story below). When has this EVER deterred crime? Just a waste of money!!!


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...85R1KV20120628

7-year-old girl named Heaven latest Chicago murder victim

By Andrew Stern
CHICAGO | Thu Jun 28, 2012 4:30pm EDT
(Reuters) - Seven-year-old Heaven Sutton was selling cold drinks and candy at a street stand with her mother when she was shot to death, becoming the 253rd victim this year of Chicago's surging murder rate, police said on Thursday.

Sutton and her mother, Ashake Banks, were about to close up their stand on Wednesday night when two men approached and began shooting. Heaven was shot in the chest, and a 19-year-old man standing nearby was wounded in the leg, police said.

"This is not about crime. This is about values. Take your gang conflict away from a 7-year-old," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel angrily told reporters.

"You have a 7-year-old selling lemonade," he said. "Where were you raised and who raised you? Stay away from the kids."

Emanuel pledged to make Chicago's streets safe when he became mayor last year.

Chicago Police Chief Garry McCarthy, who has sought to counter a 37 percent rise in murders so far this year, said police had strong leads in the case but no arrests had been made.

Most of the 253 murders so far this year in the nation's third-largest city have occurred in impoverished neighborhoods on the South and West Sides.

Frequent shootings in Heaven Sutton's West Side neighborhood had prompted her to plead with her mother to move.

"'Mom, let's move, I want to move, Mom, I'm so anxious'," Sutton had begged her mother, Banks said in an interview with local radio. Sutton was excited about an upcoming family vacation, and wanted them to move when they returned.

Banks urged the killer to turn himself in, saying of her daughter, "she didn't have to die because he was trying to kill somebody else."

The city this week gave a $1 million grant to an intervention group, CeaseFire, which hires former gang members as counselors who try to interrupt the cycles of revenge killings.

Analysts have said a number of factors may be at work, including high jobless rates, a splintering of street gangs fighting over turf and drug-dealing, and unusually warm weather that has drawn people outside and into the line of fire.

Federal law enforcement agencies are also active in the effort to combat the epidemic of street violence, said Thomas Ahearn, an agent in the Chicago office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"There's no way of knowing how many guns are in this area," Ahearn said, adding all seized guns are tracked back to their source and their last legal owner.

Straw purchases, in which someone buys guns legally then resells them to gang members, are a big problem, Ahearn said. The third-largest source of guns used in crimes in Chicago after Illinois and neighboring Indiana is Mississippi, where numerous Chicago gangs have contacts, he said.

(Editing by James Dalgleish)

Here's part of the problem: A 7 year old selling lemonade at 10:45pm on the West Side. With or without parental supervision, the child is automatically at risk. Do 7 year old's NEED to be outside that late? Especially in an area KNOWN for late night violence?......JMJ

[cleodine velvet jackson]

Here's part of the problem: A 7 year old selling lemonade at 10:45pm on the West Side. With or without parental supervision, the child is automatically at risk. Do 7 year old's NEED to be outside that late? Especially in an area KNOWN for late night violence?......JMJ

Around 10pm tonight, a cool breeze was blowing and some children were on the steps with their parents eating ice cream, water ice and popsicles. However, my neighborhood is safe and neighbors look out for one another.

Although I understand your point(s), they were closing down the stand. Yet, I CANNOT blame the parents of the victim...I BLAME THE MONSTERS destroying neighborhoods and lives.

[JMJ]

Around 10pm tonight, a cool breeze was blowing and some children were on the steps with their parents eating ice cream, water ice and popsicles. However, my neighborhood is safe and neighbors look out for one another.

Although I understand your point(s), they were closing down the stand. Yet, I CANNOT blame the parents of the victim...I BLAME THE MONSTERS destroying neighborhoods and lives.

Here's the difference: Her neighborhood is a war zone. The warmer the weather, the more they shoot. Nothing nice or peaceful about that scenario. When I was 7, I was in bed by 10:45pm, not outside......JMJ

[cleodine velvet jackson]

Here's the difference: Her neighborhood is a war zone. The warmer the weather, the more they shoot. Nothing nice or peaceful about that scenario. When I was 7, I was in bed by 10:45pm, not outside......JMJ

So J, what's the solution?

[JMJ]

So J, what's the solution?

Keep your kid inside at night? Don't put them in the line of fire?

The shooting isn't going to stop. Lemonade or candy stands don't stop shootings or make things any safer for anybody. The city allows this to continue. They're thinking long-term according to the mayor and police chief, so whatever happens now apparently isn't a concern, especially because these things usually happen in parts of the city that have no value ($$$$$$$$) at this point. Kids are getting shot nearly every day right now (a 15 year old got shot earlier today), so this is nothing new. The city has no solution. They simply stop by to clean up the mess afterwards......JMJ

[lvdphse]

Cleo I feel you all day in this in regards to J's comment but I think I can speak for him (if not I'm sure he will say so lol) in saying he is just as appalled and not insensitive to the fact that a mother and daughter cant sell lemonade on the block regardless of the time of day. If J didn't know this hood I would have issue with his remark as well but this is NOT the spot to be out at night during the summer especially considering how things have been going thus far.

This DOES NOT change the fact that this precious girl is THE VICTIM in some straight mindless BS but if you know this area you can't leave out questioning why they would be out on the block at this time.

As a parent we try to do all we can to reduce the risk of harm to our children. Eliminating it is not possible short of locking them in the closet. On the streets of Chi after dark is increasing those odds, depending onthe hood you out in will increase them even further. Again the child is not to blame, nor is the mother as far as I'm concerned but clearly extreme diligence wasn't adhered to on her part in an area where it is required.

I remember the block I stayed on (71st Harvard) before I moved to the burbs stayed hot all summer. I can her my moms like it was yesterday, "get your ass away from the window". This is inside my house mind you, not even outside. We lived on the third floor and if cats didn't have anyone to shoot at they would just shoot in the sky. It really sucks that this is a fact of life for some people.

[cleodine velvet jackson]

Keep your kid inside at night? Don't put them in the line of fire?

The shooting isn't going to stop. Lemonade or candy stands don't stop shootings or make things any safer for anybody. The city allows this to continue. They're thinking long-term according to the mayor and police chief, so whatever happens now apparently isn't a concern, especially because these things usually happen in parts of the city that have no value ($$$$$$$$) at this point. Kids are getting shot nearly every day right now (a 15 year old got shot earlier today), so this is nothing new. The city has no solution. They simply stop by to clean up the mess afterwards......JMJ

The same is happening in Philadelphia and that's why I'm asking and contributing to this thread. However, do you really think the powers-that-be in Chicago really "allow this to continue"...really? What's the responsibility of the residents who suffer daily/weekly/monthly/yearly from the violence and murders? What I'm gathering from your post is that you see no HOPE for CHANGE!

By the way, on Facebook, I'm slightly engaged in a conversation with a councilman on gun violence...It's quite interesting.

[LEONARD REMIX RROY]

I brought my son with me when I played at The House Spot. We got there about 1:30 AM, he was 18 at the time, due to graduate High School hours later. Had there been a shooting, was I wrong for having my son out at an underground after hours club? When he was 7, we were out about midnight at a Northside Club selling DHP T-Shirts.

Living in a know crime area does not mean one must live as a prisoner in their own home so I can't blame the mother for letting her child have some freedom.

I hate that the incident happened, I really do...but blaming the victim is not the right answer.

A week ago, I was on the phone with family and the sounds in the background sound like they were calling me from Iraq. That was the night that a 15 yearold was shot - 25 yards away from their kitchen window in a church parking lot.

Has a stray bullet went threw the window and hit someone in the house...I can't blame them because they did not listen to me years ago and move out the city.

Remember the night we were at The Kazbar and some guys off the block thought we were cops? What if they decided they wanted to make the news by killing some cops and shot us? Would that be our fault that we were standing on the corner of 79th & Cottage Grove?

You and I have been at some pretty unsafe places together and by no means would we be at fault if a violent incident occured and we got caught in the middle of it.

[JMJ]

I brought my son with me when I played at The House Spot. We got there about 1:30 AM, he was 18 at the time, due to graduate High School hours later. Had there been a shooting, was I wrong for having my son out at an underground after hours club? When he was 7, we were out about midnight at a Northside Club selling DHP T-Shirts.

Living in a know crime area does not mean one must live as a prisoner in their own home so I can't blame the mother for letting her child have some freedom.

I hate that the incident happened, I really do...but blaming the victim is not the right answer.

A week ago, I was on the phone with family and the sounds in the background sound like they were calling me from Iraq. That was the night that a 15 yearold was shot - 25 yards away from their kitchen window in a church parking lot.

Has a stray bullet went threw the window and hit someone in the house...I can't blame them because they did not listen to me years ago and move out the city.

Remember the night we were at The Kazbar and some guys off the block thought we were cops? What if they decided they wanted to make the news by killing some cops and shot us? Would that be our fault that we were standing on the corner of 79th & Cottage Grove?

You and I have been at some pretty unsafe places together and by no means would we be at fault if a violent incident occured and we got caught in the middle of it.

Leonard - given all the places we've been, I WOULD blame myself if something had happened. We CHOSE to be where we were at. Nobody forced us.

7 year olds shouldn't have CHOICES like that, and I'm not putting the blame solely on her mother, but seriously, the child shouldn't have been out there. As adults and/or parents, we need to look out for the kids. Sometimes that means making choices for them they may not like. Not everything is avoidable, but I do believe this murder could've been by simply keeping the child OUT of what her mother knew was a potentially dangerous situation.

It's not up to a child to make that choice for themselves. We need to step up.....JMJ

[LEONARD REMIX RROY]

The ultimate sadness is the police losing the trust of the community they serve to protect them from criminals...which is why people do not come forward with information.

[JMJ]

The same is happening in Philadelphia and that's why I'm asking and contributing to this thread. However, do you really think the powers-that-be in Chicago really "allow this to continue"...really? What's the responsibility of the residents who suffer daily/weekly/monthly/yearly from the violence and murders? What I'm gathering from your post is that you see no HOPE for CHANGE!
.

I don't see much hope. Sorry, but I don't.

I don't get the feeling that stopping the gang violence is a priority. Most residents don't want to be the next victim, so they don't snitch. Same goes for many of the shooting victims that live. They're uncooperative. You've got a way better chance of getting away with a shooting or murder on the South or West sides of Chicago than mugging a tourist on the Magnificent Mile.

That's a recently proven FACT.

The city protects the areas that make the city money. Those areas are priorities. The areas where the majority of the violence is happening are an eye sore at best. Desolate. Underserved.

Currently without hope.....JMJ

[Fletch]

Prayers to the Sutton Family!

Man, it breaks my heart to hear about this. Three of my favorite cities (Chicago, Philly, New Orleans) have reputations of being shootouts at OK Corral. I really hope these cities can get it together. New York went through this in the 70s and 80s, so I understand how y'all feel. This is sad, y'all!

[Mike Johnson]

An innocent 7 year old killed in the line of gun violence - sad, indeed. Back in the early 90's in Hartford, CT, the homicide rate from gun violence had reached an all-time high (waring gangs) when a 7 year old girl was killed in the line of fire between two gangs. It was at that point when folks said enough was enough, and the city then brought in state troopers and FBI folks to assist city police in a serious crackdown of these gangs, leading to a number of arrests and long prison sentences. It had an impact. The police can only do so much. And it's hard to get through to knuckleheads with who are bent on self destruction. The neighborhoods must mobilize and there must be an increase in the presence of law enforcement in these troubled neighborhoods.

[sammyrock]

"Kill each other and let it happen" seem like the mentality in Chicago.I'm not going into a deeper meaning of this but this shit plain ol sucks.All of our hoods are now a dangerous.

What is the solution?

Bring in the military and take these criminals out? Make a crew of Killers that would go after these gangs? not reality,this shit will continue especially during the summertime.

Fucking shame !

btw I feel you JMJ you are correct about that child being out at that time of day.

[cleodine velvet jackson]

I don't see much hope. Sorry, but I don't.

I don't get the feeling that stopping the gang violence is a priority. Most residents don't want to be the next victim, so they don't snitch. Same goes for many of the shooting victims that live. They're uncooperative. You've got a way better chance of getting away with a shooting or murder on the South or West sides of Chicago than mugging a tourist on the Magnificent Mile.

That's a recently proven FACT.

The city protects the areas that make the city money. Those areas are priorities. The areas where the majority of the violence is happening are an eye sore at best. Desolate. Underserved.

Currently without hope.....JMJ

However, I respect your honesty.

[TAB.]

When my kids are with me they are not allowed to go outside in the neighborhood I live in, because there are too many random shootings. There's hardly a weekend I don't come home to a yellow tape scene. I discourage them from even visiting. I wouldn't blame the 7 year old victim, but the parents should know better. Shit, I don't even stand still for long when I'm near a group on the corner-its that crazy out here.

[AgentDoubleA]

My neighbor (who is a kool-aid hair and eye of the tiger, renter, she constantly publicly checks her Army husband) has set up one of these "front step pop-up candy stores". I guess her sons afterscool teen-parties (he would charge at the door) were'nt generating enough income for the rent. The neighborhood (primarily myself) was not informed of this. I understand that these are hard times and we do live in the city but I remember when I was a teenager throwing house parties it was imperative to inform the neighbors in order for them to avoid calling the police and having them bust the party. Well this shop has attracted a regular clientelle of an average of 6 teens that loiter around the steps. Just the other day I had to snap at one of them for lighting bottle rockets IN MY car port (next to Barney, my purple Hyundai). These kids dont "look" like bangers but neither did that 7 yr old we read about. I hate to have to be the "buzzkill" but I might have to put an end to this after reading this article.

[Paula]

the no-snitch zombies in her neighborhood won't ID the shooter nor will he turn himself in.

the best thing for her mother to do is leave. Flee "Blackistan"...what is Blackistan?
video from 4BlackWomenOnly

[cleodine velvet jackson]

My neighbor (who is a kool-aid hair and eye of the tiger, renter, she constantly publicly checks her Army husband) has set up one of these "front step pop-up candy stores". I guess her sons afterscool teen-parties (he would charge at the door) were'nt generating enough income for the rent. The neighborhood (primarily myself) was not informed of this. I understand that these are hard times and we do live in the city but I remember when I was a teenager throwing house parties it was imperative to inform the neighbors in order for them to avoid calling the police and having them bust the party. Well this shop has attracted a regular clientelle of an average of 6 teens that loiter around the steps. Just the other day I had to snap at one of them for lighting bottle rockets IN MY car port (next to Barney, my purple Hyundai). These kids dont "look" like bangers but neither did that 7 yr old we read about. I hate to have to be the "buzzkill" but I might have to put an end to this after reading this article.

Neighbors are "supposed" to look out for one another and the block they live on. AgentDoubleA, just approach your neighbor, tell her your concerns and try to come to a happy conclusion for all. Hey, maybe you could chaperon one of the teen parties and show them how it's done.

Every day folks are telling me to be careful on the streets because they know I will express my opinion. When I see folks throw trash on my block, I say, "PICK IT UP...you don't live around here and we want a clean block." They look at me, stop to contemplate and then go back to pick up the trash they dropped.

When folks have parties and it's 2am and I hear lots of noise, I politely ask them to lower the volume. If they ignore me, I put my clothes on, walk out the house and approach them with a certain look on my face. Of course someone will have something to say and I walk up to them and they STFU. I thank them for their cooperation and say, "Continue to have a great time." Not another peep from them disturbing the neighbors.

When I see young males walking down the street with their pants hanging and spewing foul language, I approach them and start a conversation. By the time I'm finished, their pants are up, they are smiling and thanking me. Some even come back for more conversations and oftentimes I give lend them books or music from my collections. Seventy-five percent return the materials.

Let's be real: Scare people live in filthy, blighted and crime infested neighborhoods. However, it only takes one brave person to STAND UP and speak his/her mind. Yes, folks will be taken aback and/or curse you out or try to get violent, but my experiences tell me 95% will be cooperative.

I know the solutions are hard, but SOMEONE HAS TO STAND UP TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND ELDERS! I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR and if it's my time to leave this Earth...then so be it!

[Paula]

the original video posted on youtube was flagged...interesting.

the no-snitch zombies in her neighborhood won't ID the shooter nor will he turn himself in.

the best thing for her mother to do is leave. Flee "Blackistan"...what is Blackistan?
video from 4BlackWomenOnly

[JMJ]

However, I respect your honesty.

I'm OK with the frowning or disapproval.

I live 5 minutes away from an area where the shootings are frequent. If I didn't care, I'd remain silent.....JMJ

[mhd]

Neighbors are "supposed" to look out for one another and the block they live on. AgentDoubleA, just approach your neighbor, tell her your concerns and try to come to a happy conclusion for all. Hey, maybe you could chaperon one of the teen parties and show them how it's done.

Every day folks are telling me to be careful on the streets because they know I will express my opinion. When I see folks throw trash on my block, I say, "PICK IT UP...you don't live around here and we want a clean block." They look at me, stop to contemplate and then go back to pick up the trash they dropped.

When folks have parties and it's 2am and I hear lots of noise, I politely ask them to lower the volume. If they ignore me, I put my clothes on, walk out the house and approach them with a certain look on my face. Of course someone will have something to say and I walk up to them and they STFU. I thank them for their cooperation and say, "Continue to have a great time." Not another peep from them disturbing the neighbors.

When I see young males walking down the street with their pants hanging and spewing foul language, I approach them and start a conversation. By the time I'm finished, their pants are up, they are smiling and thanking me. Some even come back for more conversations and oftentimes I give lend them books or music from my collections. Seventy-five percent return the materials.

Let's be real: Scare people live in filthy, blighted and crime infested neighborhoods. However, it only takes one brave person to STAND UP and speak his/her mind. Yes, folks will be taken aback and/or curse you out or try to get violent, but my experiences tell me 95% will be cooperative.

I know the solutions are hard, but SOMEONE HAS TO STAND UP TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND ELDERS! I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR and if it's my time to leave this Earth...then so be it!

damn, reading this bought back memories of my mother, this is exactly how she operated when we were growing up on the southside of chicago in the 60s and 70s, she was beautiful, brilliant and fearless, much respect for carrying on that tradition