THE JUNGLE ROARS AGAIN

I just don't understand. no matter how bad your life is going, no matter how angry you are and no matter how much you hate a rival gang member...........what kind of animal lures a nine year old boy into an alley and assassinates him? nine years old. TYSHAWN LEE was a third grader. exactly how dangerous was he to the other gang? well, he wasn't dangerous at all but his gang banging father is very active in gang activity and the jungle gangs have now declared 'open season' on rival gang members AND THEIR FAMILIES.  doesn't that send a shiver down your spine?

and there's no doubt that the neighborhood would band together and point out the shooter, right? sorry, suburban folks but that's not how it works in the jungle.  everyone has become a turtle or an ostrich and didn't see anything. even a $35,000 reward hasn't been enough to bring a turtle out of it's shell. FYI--a chicago p.d. friend of mine says that MOST of the offered rewards go unclaimed which is incredible when you figure the average family income in the jungle is less than $10,000 per family. (not counting welfare benefits).

but surely the father, gang member PIERRE STOKES would help the police find the killer or at least give them a likely shooter from the other game. uh, no. stokes' response to two requests for interview was EXACTLY as follows: "why dey got to do me like dat? i got nuttin to say to da po-po. i ain't no banger. why dey wastin time talkin to me when dey could be lookin for da killers my son."

two days after the murder, police executed a search warrant at a south side apartment where stokes, currently out on bond for a gun charge, was found eating pizza and smoking marijuana with friends. and i quote again: "so we smokin dope and chillin. waddup with dat? i got court in the morning and now dey rassin' me instead of gettin the killers. dey got to loosen up wid me and pull da noose tighter on someone else cuz i got nuttin to say."  

now if this is the attitude of the father and the neighborhood together, is it any surprise when non-jungle people just turn the page of the newspaper without reading the murder stories? they see the headline, shake their head and turn the page. again and again and again.

the next day a neighborhood shrine to the slain child was burned down by an unknown arsonist.  ready to talk yet, folks? this is getting closer & closer to your homes and families.

just to wrap it up for this round, here are the stats from the last 5 days in the jungle:

8 dead, including tyshawn lee and an 89 year old woman 

who was set on fire when she walked in on a burlgary at her home.

13 wounded, ranging in age from 17 to 48 including 3 females.

they live by and die by different rules. violence solves everything. if you're in the city and you're not sure of your non-stop destination, then MADISON STREET should be as far south as you go. don't become a victim of the jungle.