Comments on Minneapolis Crime Watch: Notes on Homicide #14

I'm also unclear about the circumstances of the fi...

2009-10-04T23:18:58.574-05:00

I'm also unclear about the circumstances of the fight but this guy was no angel. And, actually, it sounds like the 20 or so people watching the fight were no angels either, including the 15-year-old who dragged a 4-year-old to watch, and then got hit by a stray bullet.

That whole Hawthorn Crossings strip mall is full of constant drug dealing, and I've been saying so on my blog for quite a while. Surprised there hasn't been an arrest yet.

Oh and another thing I am not sure about after the...

2009-10-01T12:24:27.843-05:00

Oh and another thing I am not sure about after the reading some of the comments on your blog. Was his access from backing down in any way blocked? (Couldn't get into a car, couldn't leave the scene due to supporters of the antagonist) That could also be a mitigating circumstance.

Respectfully disagree too, although you probably h...

2009-10-01T12:21:23.511-05:00

Respectfully disagree too, although you probably have a more finely grained picture of what happened which I defer to. As a court of law would look at it, there are mitigating circumstances to the "standing ground." For example, the gf was present and at least in some accounts there was also a baby present. If his standing ground could any way be construed as protecting them, I don't think a jury would convict him and many prosecutors wouldn't even bring charges (or would take a plea on a much lesser offense assuming both parties were armed. I am a little unclear as to whether Eaton was armed and was just slow to draw or whether this guy just drew on him after a heated argument and Eaton had no weapon.

What you say should be common sense. If someone is in your face and is known to carry, get the hell out of there. It's better to be alive than right and dead.

I must respectfully take issue with whether Haywoo...

2009-10-01T12:00:49.588-05:00

I must respectfully take issue with whether Haywood Eaton was "engaging in criminal activity" at the time he was shot.

Under the law, you have a legal duty to RETREAT from a physical fight. If your back is LITERALLY up against a wall or you are in your own home up against a home invader, then you don't have to retreat, then you can fight. There is no evidence Haywood was unable to flee from the fight. He apparently "stood his ground" and fought.

Therefore, Haywood Eaton was apparently engaged in criminal activity at the time of his death.

Only the 4th precinct puts out a weekly highlights...

2009-10-01T11:07:56.332-05:00

Only the 4th precinct puts out a weekly highlights. The others do occasional crime alerts on crime patterns in the area. If the others did a weekly highlights, I am sure it would also make interesting reading. Just because you have no data (or I don't post it) doesn't mean that crime isn't happening there and conversely that the crimes like the ones in the highlights only happen in 4.

Looking at this blog every week leads to only one ...

2009-10-01T10:32:30.128-05:00

Looking at this blog every week leads to only one conclusion. 4th precinct is inhabited by a bunch of animals. Get it together people. No one else will do it for you. Look after your children and your neighbors.

Thanks for stopping by, SW. After talking to someb...

2009-10-01T09:34:34.446-05:00

Thanks for stopping by, SW. After talking to somebody last week, the other thing people have to do is file police reports when they are a crime victim. Under reported property crime and even after assaults is a big problem. People don't want the hassle after they've already been through something and they think--they'll never catch the guy anyway...But "catching the guy" or recovering the property aren't the only reasons to do this. Data gives police the ability to make decisions about where to deploy resources and what to do with them to catch, if not "that guy" then some other guy. You may be angry that you're a victim, but you don't want to be a victim again, or be a victim in the sense that your neighborhood and your way of life are threatened by having criminals take over your street. Filing police reports and giving the cops the data (even if the cops don't seem that excited about taking the report) is vital. Get it in the computer.

That was actually a really good post! Great advic...

2009-09-30T22:27:51.743-05:00

That was actually a really good post! Great advice! CALL THE POLICE! I have no idea how many times I have called the police in my lifetime, but it is well over 100 I am sure. I haven't had to that often since arriving in Minneapolis, but I definitely do it whenever I get a chance. Recently a kid that I haven't seen before asked my wife and I as we were walking home from dinner near the corner of 32nd and Grand if we wanted to buy something to "perk us up"? I said nope, and dialed 911 on my cell phone, a cop car drove through less than 5 minutes later. Your advice is great. You can't solve problems by ignoring them, or whining about them and moving away. You have to take action.