Today, just after noon, a teenage boy was shot in the head just a block and a half from our house.
He’s dead now.
There have been so many shootings in the past 24 hours that this only merited 15 seconds on the nightly news. But since we live in the neighborhood, we know more than what was reported on TV.
For one thing, we know the killer, who is still at large. He is also a teenager. His name is L—. Once he helped Xy carry her bags. She says he’s very nice.
He is also a drug dealer, and that probably had something to do with whatever dispute led to the shooting.
The boy who got shot is called Pissy, but we didn’t know him.
The girls who live across the street were disturbed by all this and so they spent some time at our house today. Apparently the rumor was going around that Pissy was shot by a white man. I don’t know what to make of that.
It’s sad, but I’ve gotten so used to hearing and reading about murders in the city that this doesn’t surprise or disturb me very much at all.
Update — May 12th, 2004: L— turned himself in:
An 18-year-old New Orleans man wanted in the shooting death of a 15-year-old on Saturday a few blocks from Canal and North Broad streets turned himself in to authorities Tuesday, police said.
L— H—, 1219 France Road, was booked with second-degree murder in the death of Preston Turner, who was shot not far from his home, police said.
H— is accused of being one of two occupants in a car that drove up to Turner in the 300 block of North Gayoso Street shortly before 12:30 p.m.
At least one of the men fired from the car, striking Turner several times, police said.
Turner died at the scene, police said.
Update — July 9th, 2004: L— has been charged with first-degree murder:
L— H—, 18, was charged with the first-degree murder of Preston Turner, a 15-year-old who was gunned down May 8 in the 300 block of North Gayoso Street. Turner was shot and killed about 12:30 p.m., after telling his cousin he was going out to get something to eat.
First-degree murder carries either the death penalty or life in prison upon conviction.
[…] Crime is on the upswing, and that is a very serious concern for all of us, but personally Xy and I haven’t felt threatened. Two years ago a young boy was shot in broad daylight a block from our home. We did not feel particularly frightened then — sad and alarmed, yes, but not frightened. If you play it smart and don’t go looking for trouble, your chances of getting shot or knifed are less than, say, getting in a car accident or any of the other risks we all take for granted. […]
[…] We’re marching for Preston Turner who was murdered around the corner from our house back in May of 2004. […]
[…] Three years ago, a 15-year-old kid was murdered one block from our house, in broad daylight. We didn’t know the victim, but we knew the shooter. His name is L— H—. He was 18 at the time. […]
EVERYBODY LIED ON L— HE DID NOT KILLED THAT YOUNG MAN IT HAPPEN ON THAT SIDE STREET L— WAS ON THE MAIN STREET TALKING TO ME .WHEN GUN SHOT WERE FRIED EVERYBODY RAN THEY SET L— UP. NONE OFF THE BOYS AROUND THERE DIDNT LIKE LUCCI, BECAUSE HE WAS A GOOD DUDE. SO WHAT HE SOL DRUGS BUT EVERYBODY MAKE MIS-STAKES L— WAS TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF HIS FAMILY BUT HE’S NOT A KILLER SO STOP LYING ON THAT GUY..
It is a crying shame that the black community is so divided. If we as a community open our eyes to the truth it will set us all free. No one knows if L— H— really shot this young man but normally KILLERS DON’T TURN THEMSELVES IN!!!!!!! Most people that commit crimes don’t turn themselves in. However, L— did and that should have been everyone’s first clue that he did not do it! Secondly, its guilty until proven innocent and there is no hard evidence that L— committed this murder only circumstantial and some bitch ass liars that can’t even come up with a good story. That young man was murdered and I feel sad because that is another life that has been surrendered to the streets but let us be careful of trying to play the Justice system.
[…] He just wanted a chance to explain his side of the story to me. He want to tell his account of what happened on that day back in May of […]