14 January 2011


Weekend Roundup...
We sure are ending the week with a BANG...or is that several bangs?
Barely at the middle of the first month of 2011, and we can NOW chalk up our SECOND and THIRD homicides in the Summit City (Fort Wayne).
And checking back into the archival vault deep within my "Bobby's Lair", that places this city AHEAD of last years running (when we only had ONE homicide during the same period). So that total for 2010 of 30 homicides is a pretty good "benchmark" to shoot for THIS year (no pun intended...just inferred).
Ladies and gentlemen...place your bets in the murder pool for this year.
*** Here's the skinny on this double shooting:
(( Published: January 14, 2011 3:00 a.m.
2 men shot dead; baby unharmed - 1 victim found in snow, 1 in house near Pontiac
Jeff Wiehe The Journal Gazette
FORT WAYNE – Lined up behind the yellow police tape across the street, a group of people stared at the man face down in the snow.
His body was partly hidden by a tree and the comings and goings of police officers, who were mindful of where they stepped. One officer was carrying a video camera, which he slowly panned all around the body to make sure he got everything.
The group behind the police tape – some with cell phones to ears and one who said that was his brother’s home – leaned forwarded, squinted and talked.
"Who is it? Could you see? Is it him? Do you know who it is?"
That was the aftermath of a double shooting on Fort Wayne’s south side Thursday that left two men dead and a baby in protective custody.
Little information has been released by investigators.
Police were called about 2:30 p.m. to 3005 Holton Ave., just south of Pontiac Street and west of Anthony Boulevard.
When officers arrived, they found one man dead from at least one gunshot wound in the backyard and another man dead from the same thing inside the house. Also inside the home was an unharmed baby boy, less than a year old, police said.
An officer at the scene wrapped the baby in a camouflage blanket, put the child over her shoulder and took him to a heated car. Later, a caseworker from Child Protective Services arrived at the scene.
Police have not released the identities of the shooting victims.
Investigators were interviewing witnesses about possible suspects Thursday evening, but no one had been questioned or arrested. Police cordoned off the entire intersection and part of the east side of nearby Colerick Street.
A woman came to the scene dressed in a long coat about an hour and a half after the shooting.
She spoke to police briefly. Then she began to cry.
The group that had been looking at the man facedown in the snow moved toward her, winding their way around the police tape that surrounded the intersection. They huddled around the woman and embraced her, offering their shoulders for her tears.
))
Bet'cha the scene was fun to cordon off with all the "lookie-loos" in the area (no one works in neighborhoods like this...they're all pretty much on the dole, trust me on this one).
Why no one has been questioned (yet) remains puzzling to ME.
And again, we see the tragedy that trickles down to yet another INFANT...left alone in a house while someone else is being shot and killed.
Where is a REAL parent (down here) when you NEED one, anyway?
People such as this don't rightly care all that much about life...to them it's cheaper than the malt liquor they swill down as they drive along the streets.
They DO care about that next high...or that gub'ment check, tho..."Y'all don't go messin' widdat."

((Editor's Update 1 - 1245 Hrs - An autopsy performed Friday morning indicated Aaron Jamell Thomas, 29, of Fort Wayne, died as a result of a gunshot wound(s) at a home in the 3000 block of Holton Avenue.
He and another man were found dead around 2:40 p.m.
Thomas is the second homicide victim for Fort Wayne and Allen County in 2011.
An autopsy for the second man found dead is scheduled for Friday morning as well.
Editor's Update 2 - 1638 Hrs -Sredrick Paul Jones, 38, of Fort Wayne died as a result of a gunshot wound(s).
Jones was found inside the Holton Avenue home.
Jones is the third homicide victum for Fort Wayne and Allen County in 2011. ))
Nice "family portraits", too, hmm?
*** Here's yet another case of crime "coming to a neighborhood near you", as I have said here numerous times.
(( Apartment Complex Keeps Quiet About Robberies Published : Thursday, 13 Jan 2011, 2:18 PM EST - Adam Widener
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Residents at the Stone Pointe Village apartments in Fort Wayne are left in the dark after two armed robberies target their complex.
On December 21, 2010, a man and a woman were robbed at gun point in a Stone Pointe Village parking lot. He told the two to drop everything or he would shoot, fired a shot in the air, and got off with the woman's purse and the man's wallet.
On December 28, 2010, another woman was robbed at gun point in the same area.
The suspect told her to drop everything or he would shoot her.
He got away with the woman's purse and keys.
Several residents at Stone Pointe Village were terrified when they heard about the crimes.
They told NewsChannel 15 they were shocked the apartment complex chose not to alert them, saying they need to know so they can be more careful at night.
"Even if it takes one person standing out watching that one person get in their car safe and drive off, that's what's got to be done," said Stone Pointe Village resident Gwen Woodward.
NewsChannel 15 spoke with Stone Pointe Village employees several times Thursday. Nobody could explain why the complex chose not to alert residents of the crimes.
Police are still looking for the suspect.
))
Nice to see that crime has made it way UP NORTH.
This complex is located along Coldwater Rd between Cook and Wallen Rds.
And it's nice to see the NEIGHBORS banding together to halt these robberies.
It begs one to wonder WHY the complex does not appear to have it's OWN security personnel, or has enlisted the aid of the FWPD or ACSD.
And why the complex management chose NOT to alert it's residents makes one question the reasoning being displayed here.
I know that if you came down here into the ghettohood to visit US, I would provide maps and diagrams to "assist" you in making it down here (and back) in relatively good order...but that's ME. I can point out problem areas, bad streets and intersections, previous shooting sites, and the like.
Then again, I'm one of those "throwbacks" that believes that all people should be safe in their own damn city, especially in their own neighborhoods.
And if that means pointing out the human refuse of a given area...I'm more than happy to do so.
When people deny themselves the chance to see and hear the truth, or when that truth is never brought to the attention of those concerned, we ALL lose...and we lose big! This is not A truth, but rather THE TRUTH.
A truth is subjective in nature...THE truth is just that. It stands on it's own, without embellishments of any kind.
*** Glenn Beck's show pointed that out last evening with a trip down History Boulevard.
Edward Bernays...a really "fun" guy who we COULD call America's initial "minister of propaganda".
I would suggest that you look into this person, and see how much of YOUR life is being run by things that he ascribed to, and put into action in our daily lives.
And remember, it's NOT propaganda...it's PUBLIC RELATIONS...that's the more "user-friendly" term batted about THESE days.
Everything concerned with advertising and getting YOU to "follow the herd" as it were.
It's a fantastic study of societal manipulation, and how you play a pivotal role in it, whether you know it or not.
*** Lastly today...a mini- "critique" about a movie that debuts today (in 3D no less - *yawn*)...THE GREEN HORNET.
When Roger Ebert gives it ONLY ONE STAR...even I know it will pretty much suck.
This movie is listed as an "action-comedy"... (rolls eyes)
Really?
REALLY??
When did CRIME-FIGHTING suddenly become a frigging COMEDY?
(I must not be getting all my memos)
And Seth Rogen as the Hornet? No way.
Tooling along in The Black Beauty (rolling arsenal of the Hornet) singing "Gangsta Paradise" does in NO way endear me to this movie OR those that produced it...awful beyond belief.



If you take time and look back into the history OF this (really cool) fictional character...nothing "funny" about him...OR his methods.
Doesn't matter if it's the radio show or the original TV show (made by the same people that did the Adam West Batman series), which was a bit "darker" in tone and more serious in nature (not bad for a half-hour show)
I'll get more into the Green Hornet and Kato another day, but let's just know that when it comes to pulp-fiction and radio heroes such as this (and the Shadow), criminals "FEARED" such characters...not laughed along with them.
Justice came swift...and with finality
Therein lies the lesson for today.
Have yourselves a great weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and as always...
Stay safe out there, America.

10 comments:

CWMartin said...

BG:
I'm betting the SPV robber is the same hoodlum that hit over here twice in the last month. No one at Woodbridge said anything either.

Bob G. said...

CWM:
Why don't you contact the media (WANE) and tell them about THOSE robberies at YOUR place.
(I'm sure they'd be interested in that story, too)

If there is a "trend" that is covering both North and South of the city (in apartments, no less) there might be a connection.

My guess from working with security would be something "IN COMMON" with both complexes (maintenance staff, for example)

Sounds like someone with more than a passing knowledge of these places.

Just a theory, but most FACTS have their basis IN theory.

Worth a look-see.

THanks for the heads-up from YOUR place.
Hopefully, the perp gets caught...and soon.

Be aware of what's going on...look for suspicious vehicles (esp. w/ OOS plates).
Note TOD happenings when possible.
Knowledge is STILL power.

And thanks for swinging on by today.

Have a good weekend & stay safe down there.

CWMartin said...

BG:
Had to backtrack through deletes, but I found the 2 cases and sent the tip onto WANE. One was on the 18th of December at 9:10 pm and the other was New Years day at 7:59 pm. Kinda makes you think someone with a CURFEW might be responsible. At least someone with an idea of when people come home at night.
It would be interesting to know when the SPV incidents took place.
Boy it sure was nice when I could say, "I feel like we're neighbors" and it only refered to the conversation.

Anonymous said...

Bob, I don't know if you have seen this link. It's better than Indiana. Dept. of Corrections.

https://mycase.in.gov/default.aspx

click on Criminal&Citation.
search by Defendant.
Check out Aaron J. Thomas. Why is he still on the streets. Quite a few felonies. I guess K. Richards decided to release him back to the 6th. Distrinct. Would you say she is soft on crime?

Bob G. said...

CWM:

Yeah, there has to be some connection between the two complexes.
And who knows...there may be even more apartments involved, depending on certain criteria.

This is where a GOOD investigative team earns their pay.

Glad you passed in onto WANE..something just might come of it...you never can tell.

Stay safe and have a great weekend
(tell Scrappy we say "hi")

Bob G. said...

Anon:
It would not surprise me if THIS (dead) THOMAS was related to another (dead) THOMAS, that being the late MARIO THOMAS.

I know that Mario USED to live at 4705 S. Monroe, and I got quite a few pictures of the comings and going at that house.
Mario was WAY into drugs...and all the traffic to the house testified to that.

Thanks for the link...I'll be cheking into it.

As for Richards...it always seems to me that if the case is NOT a simple "nothing but net" guilty-as-charged, nothing really comes of it.

Maybe it's time to look into getting a prosecutor with a bit more SPINE...
If the guy's got a rap sheet longer than your damn ARM...MAY-BE he's guilty of SOMETHING...'ya think?
Just a thought.

Thanks for stopping by with the comments and info.

Have a great weekend.

indy said...

berneys was an a hole. shame about the apartments up there being hit. nice areas too. apartments normally dont hire security. even the nasty ones here in indy. and if they do have security. the secuity may be asleep at the wheel or just the car by itself. the best security anyone can have is a 45 ready to use.

Bob G. said...

Indy:
When we lived in Willow (crack) Creek Crossing, they DID actually have a security guard that patrolled the area.
It was a really overweight guy in a frigging Chevy CHEVETTE!!
No kidding...I was like "You gotta be kidding me, right?"

And obviously, HE wasn't worth the food he ate, because our apartment (and a neighbor's) was hit in mid-morning...lost half a day's pay on that one, and about $500 worth of stuff.
The FWPD came by, lifted some (good) prints, gave us a control number and that was the LAST we heard from them...
(not really good with the followups)

Agreed on having some "personal protection"...as long as you can catch them.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

Have a good weekend.

CWMartin said...

Hey Bob,
pro'ly as I was writing you last night, they stuck a paper in our doors saying that Woodbridge has hired a "courtesy officer" in light of the "armed robberies at various communities in Fort Wayne" (note: no mention of ours being among them). He'll be available for "excessive noise complaints, neighbor conflicts, reporting of suspicious person(s) or activities" and "doing periodic patrols". At least with these guys hiring practices, I'm confident he won't be a donut eater in a Chevette. He'll be one of the beatiful people, young and well groomed and supplementing his duties by ptiching in P.R. for the sales dept.

Bob G. said...

CWM:
I'd find out something about this officer...like what are his CREDENTIALS (I'd check w/ the front office for that).
And find out what his "hours of operations" are:
Will he be "on call" 24/7 or ONLY 9-5?

He/she could be an off-duty FWPD officer, and that would be a nice choice, esp. if he lives in or near the complex.

Are they licensed to carry a firearm or at least qualified to use a non-lethal option (stun gun, baton, mace etc).

The more you can find out, the better prepared YOU become..same for any and all neighbors you buddy up with on watching each other's "six" w/ these robberies.

Thanks for the update.
Take care out there.