Good morning, everyone. Sorry for not posting this earlier in time, but I've been somewhat busy. Anyway, according to a Chicago Breaking News article, two women were attacked with a bat in the wee hours of the morning on Friday.
The attack occurred in the 1800 block of North Damen at 3:30am. The two women, both college students (one being an exchange student from Ireland), were walking back to vitcim #1's home (not the exchange student) when a male Black, 27-34 yrs old, 5'7-5'9, medium complected, wearing a tan or light colored hooded sweatshirt struck them from behind and hit them in the back of the head with a baseball bat. He took off with their purses, and they fell unconscious. Both vitcims were then rushed to Illinois Masonic Hospital, one being in critical condition and the other being in serious condition. It's unknown if this point if they are still in the hospital.
Fact reporting is over on this end. Now, let's talk about this. Why does a man with a bat prey on two college women, in an area with a popular dog park (Churchill comes to mind) and half million dollar homes (and probably condos), no less? Of course, we could ask, why is there a man on the street with a bat at 3:30 in the morning, period. You mean to tell me that not ONE person saw the guy and didn't call 911 to report it? I'm sure someone HAD to see this guy. I'm not convinced that nobody saw him.
What can we as a community do to stop these kind of vicious attacks? More police presence? That wouldn't really work, the police have real manpower shortages and most of those cops in the 14th District refuse to protect and serve the citizens. Go to CAPS Beat meetings and complain? That really doesn't work, either, if you're just complaining about it. So, I'd like to know, what can we do? Before this guy does it again (I'm pretty sure this is the first of attacks he has planned).
If you know the guy, turn him in. Or, if you see him (provided description), call 911. Don't hesistate to. This guy is dangerous and he could prey on someone else next if we don't stop him.
I sure hope the vitcims are ok, and that this psycho that committed this disgusting crime pays the ultimate price for his act.
Update, 4/27/10: We have two arrests. Heriberto Viramontes, 30, of the 3100 block of N Springfield Avenue and Marcy Cruz, 25, were charged with aggravated battery and armed robbery. I'm glad these two are of the street. Here's the article.
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4 comments:
I am a faculty member at the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. I just got this email from our dean:
"I am saddened to report to the CUPPA community of a senseless and brutal attack on two women early Friday morning, one of whom is a student. Natasha McShane, from Ireland, is a student in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy who is taking classes as part of an exchange agreement with University College Dublin. She was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital where her condition at latest report is critical. The other woman is Stacy Jurich, a friend of Natasha's from Chicago.
Natasha's parents arrived yesterday (Saturday) afternoon from Ireland and were met at the airport by the consul general of Ireland. Many people, including ... have been at the hospital since Friday.
Because of her condition, we have been advised not to visit her at the hospital until further notice. It is not known at this time what the financial burden on the family might be due to this brutal attack. Nor are the costs to the family for caring Natasha known. In the expectation that there will be significant costs, the Urban Planning and Policy Student Association (UPPSA) has set up a website for voluntary contributions to support Natasha and the family. The link from UPPSA's website can be found at: http://www.uppsa.org/
Please keep Natasha McShane in your thoughts and prayers, especially during the next few critical days as the medical staff monitors her condition and cares for her.
The care, concern, support and genuine love that the CUPPA community have offered Natasha and her family are truly inspirational, and a mark of a community that genuinely sees itself as a community. Thank you."
Crimeblotter, you posed the question, "What can we do?". My answer is long and multi-faceted, but I'll do my best to summarize my position.
For the long term, we immediately need to begin taking and teaching personal responsibility- at home and in the school. This can be achieved by implementing and enforcing simple "rules" and "consequences" in either venue. This could be as simple as a gold star on for helping a fellow student, sibling, or neighbor. Other venues for this sort of teaching are community groups- Boy Scouts of America, Boy & Girls Club, church groups, community events, mentor programs, etc. The effects of our efforts will not be realized for quite some time, but it is only when we make these efforts that we can we hope to prevent at least some people from resorting to such violent action in order to gain what they seek.
Additionally, we need to teach and demonstrate for the children (maybe some adults, too) of our communities that true power and respect are not acquired by instilling fear in people and that true success is not defined by financial wealth. The fight for power/respect and wealth seems to be ultimately a fight for what we perceive to be happiness. True happiness will never be known by those who constantly fight for it as an end rather than recognize it as a way of life.
In the short term, we need to build communities- real communities where people know they can depend on and trust their neighbors for help. (Chicago used to be populated widely with communities of this sort.) Part of building those communities is a commitment to finding and committing to resolutions of community issues. In our current climate, it seems so many people arrive at CAPS meetings with complaints but no true inquiry or proposal with regard to a resolution. Representative of this fact is the number of people that complain at neighborhood association meetings, but never seem to committ to programs (i.e., a neighborhood clean up day) that will help resolve the matters at hand. If we are to build a community, we have to work together, and contribute either time, talent, or treasure (everyone's capacity to contribute is different).
In summary, it is not until members of our communities decide to hold others and themselves accountable for their actions and decisions, families/schools/community organizations begin to educate kids on how to live happily and learn the true meaning of success, and members of each community committ to becoming part of the resolution instead of simply a bullhorn loudly complaining about the problem.
To be clear, Crimeblotter, your efforts on this website are building awareness of the problems mounting in our communities. So long as you don't sensationalize these events, your efforts will help build a community of activists that can help solve problems. Keep up the good work.
Faculty member of UIC, thank you for forwarding the letter.
Anonymous, I definately agree with a lot of what you said. We do need to start taking/teaching responsibility in homes and in schools. We also do need to build real communities like you said. We do need to go to CAPS meetings and not only complain, but to also find a resolution to the problems occurring in our neighborhoods. We do need to also start holding ourselves and others accountable for our actions. I agree that kids need to learn the true meaning of success. I will continue to do my part to build awareness in our neighborhood(s).
Its no wonder that some have called for action by the Illinois National Guard given the violence that prevails so early in the good weather season.
Its important to remind residents, especially young folks, that they should be ever vigilant and careful. It is not wise to walk city streets after dark; and no amount of police presence is really going to make it safe to wander streets in a big city late at night.
Residents should also not be shy to report suspicious people in their neighborhood. The situation will never improve unless everyone helps.
Thanks for the awareness check.
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