Dubai Debt Issues Push Stocks Down
Family Gets Early Christmas Gift From Ellen DeGeneres
Photos of D Train Murder Depict Bloody Panic
Mayor: Sex Trafficking Victims, Please Speak Up
GMA: Adam Lambert, No; Chris Brown, Yes
A week after New Yorkers and others have been thinking about the death of Nicole duFresne on the Lower East Side during a robbery, the National Crime Prevention Council gave out tips on how to "survive a mugging"; the NCPC are the people behind McGruff, who has urged many to take a bite out of crime for the past 25 years. This was prompted by duFresne's alleged questioning of the robbers, "What are you going to do, shoot us?" and reports from an alleged assailant that duFresne "kept raging" after the gunman, causing the gun to accidentally go off. The AP reported on NCPC president Alfonso Lenhardt's thoughts:
A robbery "is more about power than anything," said Alfonso Lenhardt, president of the nonprofit council, known for its McGruff the Crime Dog mascot.Here's the NCPC tipsheet on what to do in a mugging; the first thing stated is, "The best way to deal with the confrontation is to comply by giving the robber want they want.""It's a tragedy, but in this case it sounds like (the suspect) felt he wasn't getting the respect he was due," Lenhardt said. "When a gun is in the hands of a desperate person with low self-esteem, they're going to react that way."
And last night, there was a tribute to duFresne on the Lower East Side. There was a lot of ritual involved, including a Guyanese shaman, the burning of flowers and drawing a chalk outline of duFresne's body.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
This is sound advice.
However, I do not think people should always feel that they are helpless. A little more than a year ago, I was robbed at knife point by three young men. At the moment they demanded my money, I ran. They chased me for about a block. While I was running, I grabbed my cell phone and called 911. When the robbers realized they would not catch me (obvious from the start), they walked away in the other direction. While keeping the 911 operator on the phone I followed the robbers at a one-block distance. I was able to provide the 911 operator with their descriptions and location.
I followed them for about five blocks before a cruiser arrived and picked me up. Within a minute I identified the robbers, and the officers, guns drawn, arrested them.
They all accepted unfavorable plea deals when I showed up on the trial date to testify against them.
Although my actions may have been different if the person had a gun (because I could still be shot even at a one-block distance), my point is that victims should do as much as they can to help the police identify the perpetrators. There are safe ways to fight back.
Sigh.
When you point a gun at individual in a robbery and that individual asks you, 'What are you going to do, shoot us?'
There is only one response to that for the robbery to contiune.
This woman made a gamble and loss terribly. I question any person's intelligence who recklessly gambles over the life of themselves and their friends for the contents of a purse and a couple of wallets.
While I agree that it is not worth your life to keep your wallet, I think it's awful people have to live in fear of standing up for themselves when faced with some idiot kid looking to get some "respect." People like that should be immediately knocked down and made to see this sort of behavior will not only put them in the most disrespected of classes, but it will put them right down with the most loathed elements of society. I feel awful for Nicole, but the little insect of a punk who did this needs his warped sense of manhood beaten back into shape. I respect Nicole for not being afraid to back down. How could she know someone would actually be stupid enough to pull the trigger?
Muggings. McGruff. Rules of engagement.
So 70's.
Next thing you know Blondie will be back in the studio.
Wow, what a day at G'mist Comments for foolhardiness.
. First you have the jokers bragging about their third rail subway frolicks below. Then this account of this unfortunate woman's challenging that mugger as if the gun were a toy and she were made invulnerable by a shield of pretty white skin (privileges).
It, as well as the lengthy Per Se discussion I was part of below, speaks to an overweening feeling of entitlement and unreality amidst a privileged cohort living in this city.
Fun City may be fun but it isn't a theme park. The LES is a poor neighborhood now being overrun by hipsters and gourmet restaurants. But it's still the city and shit happens. It's best to be aware and, yes, respect it. (Although the perpetrators of the murder are not worth respecting once the guns are out of their hands)
Class, youth, beauty and access to Gold Cards are no protection against the vicissitudes of the city, a fact some would realize if they took the time to engage it as an organic, vibrant place filled with triumph and tragedy and not just as a trough to satisfy their consuming desires.
Actually, a robbery is a negotiation. A sales pitch. A deadly one. But the logic is the same. You want to fight back, you need to get over the initial attackers desire. They want your purse, you give it to them. You don't resist at all at that point. Past that point, fighting back can be done and does make sense. When their checking out their booty. When they are running away. At that point the perp is weaker than before.
But if at the height of tensions you are dumb enough to say "What are you going to do, shoot me?" Don't be surprised by what happens.
People saying she was "brave" to fight at that point are dense and dumb and have never been in a real situation like that outside of watching a Law & Order episode.
Heck, why can't all of the Law & Order junkies think back to all of the times the cops in that show are faced with a perp holding a gun to a victims head. Note that even in TV land the cops only fight back when they have a chance to do something constructive. Otherwise, it's a "Mexican Standoff". Nobody shoots and everyone is pointing weapons.
Theere's a difference between fighting and shooting your mouth off randomly.
On a different note: that memorial is one of the most retarded things I've seen in a long time. Those two must have been a match made in heaven.
"Carl Marks" (Great nom de guerre...), a thought: It couldn't have been the Simple unreality of the moment?
"not just as a trough to satisfy their consuming desires"?
How poetic.
Now that's what I like to See! Compasion!
Look, I didn't get it either, but if it makes him and his friends/Family feel better, Hey, more power to them.
Does it make you feel cool to say it was "one of the most retarded things" you've seen?? C'mon...
Come on, S.D.: if you have a "Guyanese shaman" and play an "afridrum" and you are neither Guyanese nor whatever-culture-an-afridrum originates from you are kind of a New-Age-y wanker. I'm a little too private for non-funeral memorial services, but that's me.
Oh, and the shooter kid is catatonic now? Good. As long as he snaps out of it in time to be fit for trial.
IMO, people will do the strangest things in thier greif. As I've said, Hey, more power to them.
"the shooter kid is catatonic now?"
Not that I'd shed a tear, but Where'd you hear that?
Jen W, you really have no right to criticize the way other people mourn anything. Perhaps it seems odd to you, but then again most established traditions are bizarre as well if you critically step back from them.
I personally think the memorial was odd as well, but I'm not going to make a big stink about it. It was his fiance and his way of showing his feelings and emotion. Odd or not, if that's what he and his family and friends needed, that is what was right for the situation.
That said, the most bizarre aspect of his behavior is how he walked away from his future fiance after he was pistol-whipped and when she was clearly at risk as well. THAT is something he should be grilled about.
Yeah Captain Obvious because everyone thinks clearly after being smashed in the eye socket with a handgun.
How about this concept then. Maybe him walking away was weird. But then again, Nicole didn't run to him either? Yeah, one does not think clearly. But the one or two times I have been in situations like that with friends, my first though was about the people I was with, and their first thought was about me as well. As someone whose gone through similar situations, I cannot fathom the behavior of either Nicole or her fiance.
Sorry if tough and real questions are upsetting, but the truth is I bet at least one Detective on the case has asked--or is still asking--those questions.
Your questions are about as tough and real as your handle. Next.
Riiiiiiight, you know what if Nicole and her fiance were not white and this happened? Would you be saying that it's obvious what happened then? And have you ever been in a real crime situation? One where even if it all seems "obvious", you're still grilled and questioned by cops to get the facts straight?
Obviously not.
Also, I did say above that criticizing the memorial service was a bit harsh. But questioning the events of what happened is totally legit.
I remember when an Asian woman jumped off a building a year or so ago and people questioned her boyfriend's behavior, nobody made a big stink about that.
I argue that a person who just got their skull cracked with a pistol might not always act rational and now I'm a racist. I guess questioning events is okay, but questioning "Captain Obvious"'s interpretation of events isn't. You, my friend, are a jackass.
Actually, go and sit in on criminal trials at any criminal court in this city. It's free and by law any citizen can sit in on a trial unless the judge decides the court should be closed.
Go in, sit down, and see what really happens even in so called "obvious" cases. Questioning is legit and if you think I'm a jerk, you must think every detective in this city--and country--are jerks as well.
Until then, you might call me a jerk, but at least my e-mail is real.
My feeling is that being as they left a bar at 3:15 AM, they were likely heavily buzzed, and from what i read this was a fairly quick encounter/shoving match and it wasn't like they all had time to hang out and decide what to do next. He was basically pistol whipped and she got in the guys face (which alot of people would do) and he shot her. It's a tragedy. Most people would freak out too if they're partner/lover was hit in the face. It's a common human reaction to have. I agree with the Police commissioner. The only person responsible for her death is the asshole who shot her. Bill
Why are you people constantly raving about this issue as if it was a racist response? I have friends who were beaten, slashed in their throats, and have known acquaintences killed who were caucasian.
This is obviously not a racial issue, but rather an awakening.
My opinion in this matter is that the girl was pretty unintelligent in the way she and her fiancee handled the situation.
Why is this publicity necessary? I say it's because she was a girl more than being white.
You get what you ask for...
ya gotta carry a knife so shit like that dont happen
Oh, brilliant comment, Danny. So, what exactly would a knife have done for her in the situation?
a knife might have gotten you killed faster. SO what do you do, give ya money away when some wood beat thug ask for your money? I think you got to stand up for yourself sooner or later. I know life is to precious and everything but you take that chance i think. I dunno but i know if some thugs asked for my money, my last option is to give them my money. i know i gonna fuck some 1 up b4 i get beat up. Also, 14 yr old robbing 28 yr old people? what this world coming into?
I love all the Monday morning quarterbacks slamming the dead victim, as if she deserved it. Speculating that she was some spoiled brat living a gold-card lifestyle and that is what qualified her for being robbed. Get a gun pointed in your face sometime, you arrogant pricks. And have a few drinks beforehand. Then see how it feels to know that some degenerate hopping back and forth with the Bryco in his hands is determining the outcome of your life. It's not a time for rational reflection. It's a time of pure terror. Or utter helplessness. Or unimaginable anger.
I had a gun pointed in my face ten years ago. I did what the guy said and he went away with my wallet. Recently my friend was shot and killed right in front of me and he didn't do anything. Two thugs approach. Gun whips out, unexpectedly. Aims at my friend's head. Crack. Guys run off.
Assholes on the internet a few days later were, no doubt, waxing philosophical and factless on what my friend did to deserve losing his life over nothing.
Honestly, I was assaulted and robbed yesterday (in buenos aires) and my response surprised me. i always said I'd give up whatever they want (i grew up in nyc) but when it happened, and some scumbag was grabbing my watch and bag, slamming me up against a brick wall, my self defense kicked in, and I punched him and screamed my head off and kept fighting him and brought the f-er down (with the help of two strangers who stopped their car and ran over). Yes, it was stupid, yes he could have stabbed me, but until you're in the situaion it's impossible to predict how you'll react. He was twice my size and I still felt like, no f-ing way you are taking my stuff, especially because he started out the altercation so violently.
I hope he rots in jail and gets raped in the a$$, because now I'm terrified to walk around the city I love, no matter how careful I am. And he hurt me more than I've ever been hurt. Punched, had chuncks of hair pulled out, my wrist is swollen to twice it's size and I have a black eye. I'm a nice girl, who never asked for this, who blends right in and doesn't wear flashing jewelry. This f-er deserves to feel as scared as I did. And, I will never judge someone else's reaction during an assault, because this completely surprised me.
peace.
e