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Sunday, March 16, 2008

Flint's first murder of the year.

This article arrived yesterday from my sister via Gtalk. It looks like Flint, MI, my hometown chalked up its first murder of the year. Flint constantly appears in the top 10 list for most dangerous cities. A recent survey shown on aol's news site lists Flint as the third most dangerous city. In the subcategories, Flint ranked first in rape, first in assault, second in burglary, and third in murder. It seems that the outliers were robbery (35th) and car theft (28th). This is likely due to the fact that there is nothing to steal in Flint and nobody drives a nice car.

The scariest thing about this article is that the murder happened just a few blocks from my home. I grew up in a middle class neighborhood where people respected one another, supported one another, and did all the normal things that good neighbors just do (save for the fact that no bike was safe). Every time something like this happens, it makes me worry about my neighborhood and about the city as a whole.

Flint has been so bad for so long that a turn around is inevitable. In fact, if I were an investor, Flint is one place I'd explore. We have a perfect setup to be Michigan's premier city. We have a very nice airport. I69 and I75, two of the most prominent interstate highways in the nation both go through Flint. No other city in the state can say that. Flint is located right in the middle of Lansing, the Tri-Cities, Ann Arbor, and Detroit - it's the perfect central hub for Michigan commerce. Flint has a very good community college, a fantastic engineering school, and a satellite school of the University of Michigan. Some circles in Flint have a new optimism. The Downtown Flint Development Authority looks like it is up to some great things. This sounds like a great setup, but it is unarguable that people are the most crucial resource. Articles like these show that we still have a ways to go.

8 comments:

EMO said...

i like how you said that turnaround is inevidible!!! Dad actually called me last night to ask me if I knew anyone living at that house. lolololol He also said that Mom and Anne were a block away just 15 minutes before it happened! I also wanted to say lolol about the bike.

elizabeth said...

If you check out the news article in the Flint Journal, you will see that the victim was in his 30's, living in the house with his wife and a 72 year old man. The house belonged to the elderly man. The victim was beating the elderly homeowner, who shot the victim. Dad says it may not be murder at all, but self-defense. I'm not worried about where I live.
Mom

elizabeth said...

Besides all the good things going on in downtown Flint (student housing for UM Flint, new houses going up on Stone St., growth at the Cultural Center, 2 engineering firms moving in), Flint sent two high school basketball teams to the state finals: Flint Beecher and Powers Catholic. Both fell just short of winning in nail-biter games, but both have made us very proud.

Anonymous said...

thats it. If I decide to go back for Easter I am def. getting a piece first.

Josiah

Anonymous said...

thats it. If i go back for easter i am def. getting a piece first.

josiah

maryp said...

Here's another thing... for the most part, if you stay away from the north and east sides and don't get involved in drugs, gangs, and prostitution, you're probably going to be fine, except for the occasional bicycle theft.

Anonymous said...

"if you stay away from the north and east sides and don't get involved in drugs, gangs, and prostitution"

Now where's the fun in that?!

Unknown said...

This was a murder and not a jusifiable homicide as reported in april by the Flint police investagator and the Prosucutor. In fact this was More. I can not get into detail but there was alot of money at stake in this muder and Drugs were recorded in the records by the wife and the 72 year old. The wife was having sex with the 72 year old when the victim was called into the room then he got upset due to his wife was having sex with the other man. This was planed by the wife knowing that her husband would get upset and the events would unfold the way they did. The House was not to have any Drugs or guns in it and it apears that the victim was beaten befor shoot to death. As we unfold this drama we are looking into why the police did not arrest the wife and the 72 year old for Drugs that were found in the home according to police reports The victims Tox report showed no drugs in his system and ther was a court order keeping the wife from any contact with the victim Yet the police did not get her for assinting in the violation of a court order. The wife was also on probation for beating up her mother and was not to have any violance for a year. yet this was over looked by the police. in a taped recording the wofe stated that the 72 year old has pistal wiped people before and that tells me that he was not the weak old man the news reported. This Case was done for headlines by the police and the two people that Killed the victim are out praying on others. When the victim died he had nothing yet two years before that he had a house a new car and every tool a man would want. the wife and her family sould every thing for drugs. and now she is praying on other.
Signed The Victims Brother

Ps ther is an on going investagation that includes the Ombudsman and the FBI