Coney Island Marches Against Escalating Violence

"This is the worst I've seen it, open these community centers, give these kids other things to do," said Charles Rogucki who lost his sister to gunfire in Coney Island. His sentiments were backed by a rally that took place in the neighborhood yesterday, drawing dozens who want to bring an end to the recent violence. Unfortunately, they had to step over crime tape to do so.

There was a shooting on Mermaid Avenue just hours before the march was set to start, which splattered blood across cars on the block. One man was shot in the chest and the leg, and the suspect reportedly fled from the scene on a bike. And recently, a 2-year-old and a 14-year-old have both been shot in the area. A suspect in the 2-year-old's shooting was fatally shot a few days after the incident, in what many believe was a revenge killing.

The Coney Island Coalition Against Violence was created in January after the NYPD reported a rise in 60th Precinct murders, and member Mathylde Frontus said at the march, "We're really trying to change a level of consciousness in the community because it has to do with the mind set. They have resolved that this is the way to deal with conflict and while that is happening we're ducking for cover." As Staten Island has seen, community coalitions don't always solve everything. However, neither does police presence. Coney Island is open to suggestions.

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By Jaya Saxena in News on August 16, 2010 11:30 AM

Comments [rss]

John L

My suggestion is for Bloomberg to get rid of Ray Kelly because as police commissioner of NYC he has no answers except to increase "Stop & Frisks".

The NYPD needs new leadership, with new ideas, that can hopefully restore law and order in this city before it really gets out of hand again. They can arrest 1,000 people with a bag of weed each and it doesn't equal the impact of arresting one murderer or rapist and getting him off the street. Fuck the quotas, we need quality police work. Forget driving around in vans mindlessly "Stopping & Frisking" everyone how about a real task force to crackdown on gangs in this city? I'm sure there's one now put obviously they need more resources because they're not making a dent on the problem.

The NYPD needs a new police commissioner!

And to everyone who says this community march does nothing I disagree. Many times people criticize these neighborhoods for not supporting law enforcements efforts, well here is a neighborhood screaming for help. That in itself won't stop crime but it may bring attention to their issue and hopefully the NYPD will respond.

FelixtheCat Christine Quinns

Commissioner Kelly does what Bloomberg wants and that is to protect and secure the elite.

Think2wice

Coney Island is open to suggestions.

I suggest that you sell those projects and use the money for just Section 8 vouchers instead.

Aleksey

I used to be around those projects (friend lived there), it's trashy and filled with ghetto people. When you drive by at 2:00AM you see ghetto ass teens near *gasp* liquor store doing jack shit.

Everybody has cars with chrome rims parked around projects or modified shitty civics and give you a that stare if you look at them like they are some sort of high status individuals.

Cops that patrol the area are the same ghetto fucks as the people who live there, they lie and behave like your average thugs.

ed_Extinct

Marching against violence? Really? Has this method ever helped communities?

JenChungsBaby

It occasionally helps for as long as the march itself is going on. But not always.

hotstepper

sitting on your hands rarely helps. a community coming out in a show of peaceable force and righteous outrage is good. what do you recommend they do, general?

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

Yes please stop the violence and abuse of elephants in ringling brothers at coney island. Again bloombetg gave our money to the real estate developer. He way overpaid for that parcel.

Dogsbody

"open these community centers, give these kids other things to do"

Hmmm...they live right next to a beach, there's a famous fairground right there in the neighborhood, they have a minor league baseball team to watch, they're just a two-dollar subway ride from all the obvious attractions of Manhattan...how many more "things to do" do these kids need to stop shooting each other??

Dogsbody

quickest crazy tangential comment ever???

youngpro

between this comment and the one about the lady in starbucks getting ejected and how you said she should join pedo. rabbis in jail, it has become increasingly clear you did not take your medicine(s) today.

hotstepper

this is a story about children being shot, not a platform for your inane animal banter.

you are disgusting.

fuboy

A two-year-old girl was killed. That's a pretty defenseless creature. But, more than that, it's a life that will never achieve anything. If she was raised well, she could have gone on to do any number of positive things She may have even gone on to be a champion for animal rights. In twenty years, she might have worked right alongside you at PETA protests an petitioning the government for better treatment of animals.

But you, apparently, don't care about that. You only use the opportunity to voice your love and concern for elephants.

I can't speak for everybody, but that's why I don't listen to what you have to say.

FelixtheCat Christine Quinns

it is you who doesn't get it. violence begets violence. At last as there is animal abuse and parents take their kids to support animal abuse then there will be no peace for man.