Shock Over Chicago Student Gun Deaths

(CBS)  Public school students in Chicago aren't as worried about making the grade as they are about making it home alive, CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports.
"You can't go nowhere without being shot," said Juston Gant. "It's crazy."

Since September, 24 students have been murdered, most of them shot.

The dead amount to a classroom of kids. Among them, 10-year-old Arthur Jones, who was on his way to buy candy when he got caught in gang crossfire. As did 15-year-old Miguel Pedro, who went out for ice cream and never came back.

Last school year 34 students were killed. That's 58 deaths over what amounts to a 17-month period. And that makes an average of one child getting murdered every eight days.

In a city where handguns are already banned, Stop The Violence rallies have had little impact and the mayor's calls for stricter gun laws have fallen on deaf ears.

"Why is America turning its back on its children when it comes to gun violence?" said Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. "It's that simple."

Ron and Annette Holt blame the apathy on the majority of people assuming this will never happen to their kids, because most of the victims are poor and black.

"Reporters always say 'gang-related.' I'm so sick of hearing that word, 'gang-related.' Say the perpetrator was gang-related, not the person shot," said Annette Holt, who lost her 16-year-old son. "The person shot was a good child."

Like their son Blair, the only child of a police officer and fire captain planning to go to college to study business and music.

His future was cut short last May when a teenage gunman looking for a rival gang member opened fire on a crowded city bus.

"Nothing's ever the same," Holt said.

"Part of you dies?" Bowers asked.

"Oh my God, a big part. It's like you die with your child," she said.

These days the only thing that keeps them going is their mission to let Americans know every child deserves to be safe.

Blair's father, Ron Holt, said: "This affects every culture, everyone - black, white - no matter where it happens. Gun violence is gun violence."

It's not just about guns, many say. It's more about poverty, lack of education and absentee parents who've lost control of their children.

"Your duties are to take care of your child, know what your child is doing and make sure he's heading in the right direction," said Willie Williams, who also lost a 17-year-old son.

Until then, these kids remain potential targets believing no amount of police protection can truly keep them safe.

[tmc1116]

This sickens me couldn''t they see a wedding was going on!

[keithle1]

We don''t need to worry about people who have a registered gun & keep it in their home for protection. NRA members. They''re not the problem. They''re not the ones shooting black people.

YOUNG BLACK MEN ARE KILLING BLACK PEOPLE. Not middle aged black men. Not old black men. YOUNG black men.

If you don''t go to college, learn a trade or join the armed forces, how can you expect to make a decent salary with only a high school diploma? I don''t care if you''re white, brown, black or red. IT AIN''T GONNA HAPPEN.

[keithle1]

How many young black men would want to go to college even if you gave it to them free of charge? Intellectual achievement & education is not something most of them want. They don''t respect educated people. It means nothing to them. What they do admire & pay attention to is pro athletes & rich rappers.

Black women are the ones graduating from college. Black men just have a high school diploma. Women don''t want to marry someone "below" them. They want to marry someone at their level or above. College educated professional black women find it tough to find a suitable black man to marry. 70% of black women are single.

[libsrweak]

the city of chicago is a FAILED LIBERAL EXPERIMENT.

[libsrweak]

this is what happens when you get a bunch of weak bleeding heart liberals dictate our laws..

[reddesires]

Look at Chicago now I grew up there, it''s all black gang controled. Look at Obama and what he''s done for that State...... I won''t even go back to visit it''s so bad. See what he can do for our Country.....

[tricey12]

Why do people think that all black people are poor, with a lack of education, and have no parent involvement? People are getting killed and you still are stereotyping. Chicago is rough because every young kid seem to think it is cool to be tough.

[missy_pithy]

And in every state that has passed this kind of law, crime has dropped. We are not ever going to put a stop to crime, but we sure can slow it down and make the one doing the crime think twice because he does not know who may have weapon on their person.

In the Chicago case, Mayor Richard Daley, is so much of an anti-gun fanatic that he can%u2019t see any reason at all.
posted by hbevis

ummm... I agree with you. I said so earlier in posts but got a little tired of fighting. Sorry I gave you the wrong impression.

[hbevis]

Everyone does not have to own a gun of any kind. Just let the people that do have them. As stated in the State of Florida, even out of state people can get a concealed weapons carry permit. There are about 40 states that have a carry permit law one the Books. And in every state that has passed this kind of law, crime has dropped. We are not ever going to put a stop to crime, but we sure can slow it down and make the one doing the crime think twice because he does not know who may have weapon on their person.

In the Chicago case, Mayor Richard Daley, is so much of an anti-gun fanatic that he can%u2019t see any reason at all.

USBrit.. I think the guy in my post was a man named Tony Martin. They made an example out of him. = ) I''''m kidding.

I don''''t think I care about guns anymore- this is a tough battle and I''''m just a girl who doesn''''t own a gun.

Posted by MISSY_PITHY at 02:26 PM : Apr 23, 2008

[mjf250tx]

Chicago, if you want to solve this problem, then ARMED parents, in mass, will need to rid the streets of these thugs. When force is met with overwhelming force, the gangsbangers will leave, or be dead. You cannot rely on politicians, not the police, to do it for you. The mindset in that city needs to change dramatically, or kids will continue to suffer. This sure isn''t a politically correct solution, but politically correct is getting kids killed.