Murder Weekend in Albany


By champlain, Section Diaries
Posted on Sun Aug 19, 2007 at 08:28:41 PM EST

Another violent summer weekend in Albany.

A city teenager was shot dead during an Arbor Hill birthday party early Saturday, becoming the city's first homicide victim of the year, police said.

Shahied Oliver, 15, of Albany died from a gunshot wound to the upper chest after being struck around 1:30 a.m.

While the teen's death marked the first homicide of 2007, authorities have said that in the first eight months of this year, shootings have significantly increased over the same time last year.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=615230&category=FRONTPG&BCCode=HOME&n ewsdate=8/19/2007

The South End also had gunplay:

A woman ended up in the hospital with a gunshot wound late Friday night after police said a shooter fired multiple bullets through the front window of her apartment in the city's South End.

Police said the incident occurred around 10:15 p.m. at 69 Slingerland St., when shots rang out, blasting through a window and striking the unidentified 39-year-old woman in the back of her shoulder.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=615231&category=FRONTPG&BCCode=HOME&n ewsdate=8/19/2007

It wasn't just gunplay, from about 1:30 AM to around 3:00 AM in the wee hours of Sunday there were three stabbing incidents that injured four people.  One of the stabbings was on Lark Street and two on North Pearl Street. All appear to have involved people coming out of Albany drinking establishments.

I am all in favor of occasionally crossing the doorstep of one of Albany's drink houses to slake a summertime thirst, but what is it about Alcoholbany that seems to precipitate so much damn carnage?

It's another violent summer in Albany, and 2006 also had a violent summer. In 2005 there was a string of arsons from April to August that put a palpable fear into the residents of Arbor Hill and the Mansion neighborhood, not to mention leaving dozens of people homeless.

Why is living in Albany so damn dangerous?  Why hasn't the APD management been able to get a better handle on the illegal guns and the violence?  Why hasn't the City government been able to do a better job on basic public protection? What has gone wrong?  Why is it that year after year Albany's violent crime statistics far outpace the national averages?  Why is it that year after year Albany ends up as one of the top ten worst crime rate cities for its size in the nation?

I guess when you have a Mayor who openly advocates ignoring the law...well, that's a major problem:http://www.democracyinalbany.com/story/2007/8/13/42510/6668

But I'm curious and I'd like to know.  Is it all Mayor Jer and his outlaw pronouncements? Is it Jimmy `pants-on-fire' Tuffey and his `clueless - and proud of it' attitudes? Other than Jerry the Tan's radio ramblings, crashing while drunk and outlaw babble, why is living in Albany so damn dangerous?

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Murder Weekend in Albany | 32 comments (32 topical, 0 hidden)
Champion (none / 0) (#1)
by alfrednewman on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 05:42:07 AM EST
I personally believe that living in Albany is so "damn dangerous" because there is simply no longer a fear of law enforcement within certain segments of our community.

Justice is no longer sure or swift and even if someone is convicted of a crime our "correctional facilities" are no longer seen as a deterent to those whose fathers, brothers and friends cycle through the system on a daily basis.

The people making Albany so "damn dangerous" are not productive members of society. They are the premanent underclass that are necessary to keep all of the social workers, police officers, parole officers and prison gaurds employed.

Think what would happen to our local economy is the crime rate was 50% of what it is today.  Our economy would collapse because there are not enough jobs.

I was told that Shahied Oliver "ran with the wrong crowd." He is the end result of a society that cares more for "supporting education" and less about actually educating. Oliver is the end result of policies that promote the facade of liberalism without the demand for results.  For rights over responsibility.

RIP Shahied. While I did not know you, I know at least one person who is upset by your needless passing.
.
.
Champ: Both bar areas are heavily patroled by Albany Police on the weekends. The fact that the police caught the little bastard on Lark and two out of the three on Stuben are proof of a quick response time.  The stabbings also go to show that a "gun violence taskforce" isn't really going to do anythign except generate a few good headlines for a few politicians.

Not sure what else the Albany Police could have done, do you have any suggestions or are you just going to continue to call the Mayor and the police chief names?
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

there's a group (none / 0) (#2)
by kateb on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 05:53:06 AM EST
active in the world -- Canadians thought of it -- called Christian Peacemaker Teams.  They go where the military is, and help mediate disputes and make sure voices are heard.  They go to various places -- a remote Native American reservation in Canada, a hot spot in South American countries, the Middle East, Iraq.

I was thinking we could have a similar team, not necessarily based in religion, but based in concern for our community.   I was thinking if we had enough people out there, and concerned for everyone, we could make a difference.

And no, I'm not nuts.  I want solutions.

Peacemaker (none / 0) (#4)
by alfrednewman on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:41:55 AM EST
Kate:

It seems to me that the people who are shooting and slashing are not really interested in mediation.  They also want solutions. Final ones. Life has no meaning or value to many people in our permentant underclass.  What good is mediation?

 
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

Alfred (none / 0) (#8)
by kateb on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:08:21 AM EST
if you've spent time with these young people, you know that isn't so.  They have voices.

[ Parent ]
Right Kate (none / 0) (#12)
by alfrednewman on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 10:26:53 AM EST
I know a former teacher of the kid. Sure, he had a voice. Was apparently nice enough- The former teacher is upset.

But the people who killed him didn't kill him with words. They killed him with lead.

Do you think that they walked in there and asked the kid if he would like to enter into negotiations?  

Oliver *had* a voice. Now he doesn't.

"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

Not going to toot my own horn (none / 0) (#13)
by kateb on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 11:02:10 AM EST

or keep saying "trust me".

Here's what I know.

Our young people have voices, but can move too fast on impulses.   Slow them down a few seconds, a few minutes, and listen.  

Not saying it's easy, but none of this is.

And Alfred, it takes training.  Got a lot of it.

[ Parent ]

Questions ... (none / 0) (#3)
by 1894 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:21:15 AM EST

Let's back up ... Who was the adult who turned over the apartment to a bunch of teens for a party? What kind of adult parent or guardian allows a 15-year-old to be out at 1:30 in the morning? How many neighbors failed to call police enough times to have the party shut down for noise?

Come on 1894 (none / 0) (#6)
by alfrednewman on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:43:44 AM EST
Are you really trying to tell us that the parent(s) of the 15 year old has some responsibility for the kid's conduct?  
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]
Answers ... (none / 0) (#7)
by hailstorm on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:06:14 AM EST
you have to keep in perspective the kind of "adults" are we talking about here.

this isn't some donna reed fantasyland in clifton park, it's the projects.  the parents in question were likely out partying themselves, or too drunk, or high to notice.  and even if they did, this kind of thing doesn't strike them as "wrong" the way it does with people who read newspapers and post on blogs like this.

and the neighbors?  please.  they didn't notice because:

  1. they're used to it.
  2. they were also partying.
  3. "snitching" isn't cool, and is potentially life threatening.

it's not a stereotype, it's a way of life in these neighborhoods.  i know, i've lived in them.  there's a certain resignation the inhabitants have to their lifestyle.  they don't view themselves as "moving up" or "temporaily in need of assistance".  they seem themselves as serving a permanent life-sentence of poverty, welfare, drugs, and crime.  they have nothing to lose, because they don't have anything and don't see how they ever will.  so why bother?

that's the attitude, and any change is going to need to start with changing that.

[ Parent ]

ALBANY VIOLENT CRIME (none / 0) (#5)
by nitevision on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:43:26 AM EST
   I am dumbfounded that anyone could react to this weekend's shootings and stabbings by pinning the blame on the mayor or Tuffey.
   If your neighbor down the street strangles his wife, should you be held responsible?  Recent horribly violent crimes in Newark, NJ and Conn. captured our attention.  Did the mayor or police chief in those communities give the suspects permission to commit those crimes?
   Accusing Jennings of drunk driving when no evidence exists is shameful.  If you have real facts, I help you to crucify him.  If not, don't make such allegations.  Is Tuffey doing a good job?  The jury is still out but don't assume he handed guns and knives to these low life thugs.
   Give credit to the hard working cops (the majority).  Talk to them, many are eating sandwiches in their patrol cars because they don't have time between calls to go to a restaurant.  Can Tuffey encourage more pro-active work from the cops by changing his management style?  Should he try to motivate rather than intimidate?  The answer is yes. Don't be stupid by trying to blame him for "allowing" violent crime to continue.
   The leadership of the police union is laughable.  President Mesley is more interested in fighting the no drinking policy than in fighting crime.  Mesley's actions makes all cops look like drunks which is not the case.  The union should be concerned with workplace safety and a common goal of reducing crime.  Mesley, I'm told started as Tuffey's puppet.  He is the first union president to be given a brand new unmarked police car to ride around in all day.  He refuses to talk to the Times Union, so how can he effectively publicize the dangers cops face every day?  The cops need solid leadership which seeks common grounds with management to reduce crime for all citizens.  Interaction between the chief, the union and the public can restore this great city.  Mesley is not helping, he should resign.
Ending the culture of violence is the responsiblity of every resident.  No one person can do it alone.  Instead of pointing the finger of blame, join in the search for solutions.

Mesley (none / 0) (#10)
by kateb on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:32:10 AM EST

was just quoted in the TU, in a very specific way.

[ Parent ]
Quotes (none / 0) (#11)
by nitevision on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 09:02:39 AM EST
Kate,  the TU lifts quotes from other media sources because Mesley won't grant them interviews.  He is only one part of the problem and certainly he's not helping with the solution.

The old timers tell me that every other union president drove their own personal cars.  If Tuffey can buy him off with a city car, then shame on the rank and file for not seeing it.

We need cooperation among community leaders, the police and our elected officials.  The violence can be decreased even though there will always be unpredictable events.  We need to work together.


[ Parent ]

Solutions (none / 0) (#15)
by champlain on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 03:48:18 PM EST
I am all for solutions.  But when solutions are put up for debate Jerry and Jimmy either try to silence those making the suggestions or they get in the way or they try to shut it down. Sometimes they go along for a little ways - then they shut it down after they have taken control of a good idea or effort. I've seen it happen time and time again. I don't trust either of them to do what is in the best interest of Albany. There is WAY too much self-interest and almost NO concern for the public interest.

The perfect recent example is Dom's gun violence committee. Jer wouldn't let it go forward unless the Mayor got to water down the committee with his appointees. Only through Dom's persistance and stick-to-it-ness did the Council ever pass it. How long did it take?  THREE f'ing YEARS? The Mayor has been in office since 1993. The Mayor has hand-picked four or five police chiefs. The crime rates in Albany are HUGE and have been for years. I don't blame cops on the street - I blame mismanagement.  How many passes do Jerry and Jimmy get before accountability kicks in? Does it ever kick in or does the city just stumble along until some other boozy pol takes over?

Don't try to tell me there aren't people out in the communities trying to solve these problems - there are. They've been trying for years and years. It's time for the Mayor to cooperate or get the hell out of the way. I say its time for changes...BIG changes. Really BIG changes.

[ Parent ]

Mayor and tuffy are to blame (none / 0) (#28)
by Breakupthemachine on Fri Aug 24, 2007 at 03:37:13 AM EST
The mayor created the weekly circus on Pearl St and then doesn't provide the resources to properly manage it.

 How many chiefs will it take before people realize hizzoner is the problem?
~~~~In Vino Vertas~~~~
[ Parent ]

police work is reactionary (none / 0) (#29)
by kateb on Fri Aug 24, 2007 at 04:17:52 AM EST

as all of us have pointed out one time or another.  I don't think there is anyone on the APD who doesn't want to be there to help if they can when something is happening.

The problem is bigger than the police and needs a bigger solution.

[ Parent ]

Right, sure they are (none / 0) (#30)
by alfrednewman on Fri Aug 24, 2007 at 06:53:33 AM EST
Breakup, right.

Its the mayor's fault for trying to make Albany's downtown a place to be after dark.  The streets of downtown should be empty and everything should close at 5PM. The only people downtown after dark should be hookers and drunks.

Thats the way to make Albany a great city and a great place to live.

We should bring back the Blue Laws.  That will show the trash from Troy.  
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

The difference? (none / 0) (#9)
by 1894 on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:27:13 AM EST

hailstorm ... You seem to be excusing any adult from culpability. How is this situation different than the swift action against an adult who put a minor in harm's way at SPAC? I presume there were drugs and/or alcohol at the "birthday" party, and that should be enough to cause trouble (or eviction) for an adult living in a subsidized aparment. Maybe the adults involved don't care, but there are ways to make them give a shit.

And for the record, at least one neighbor did call the police. S/he should have kept calling. You're painting with a really broad brush ... Everyone who lives in the "projects" (a laughable term for Skyline Gardens) isn't a lowlife who is too busy getting high to worry about snitching.

i think you've got me wrong (none / 0) (#14)
by hailstorm on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 11:41:40 AM EST
one or two exceptions do not negate a generalization.  

i never said that EVERYONE in the 'hood was the epitome of delinquency.  nor did i say that EVERYONE in spawl-land is a fine, upstanding member of the community.

the SPAC incident was an exception, rather than the rule.  sure that kind of thing does happen in the suburbs, but not with the frequency that it happens in the 'hood.

the opposite is true for the neighbor at skyline who called the police.  if this party was in clifton park ALL the neighbors would have called the cops.

i'm just saying that residents of dense lower-class urban areas, from neighbors to police, are more used to this kind of thing and are therefore less likely to notice or care when it happens.

also, i wasn't making excuses for anyone's behavior, just pointing out the reasons why things get to these extremes in certain areas.  it's hard to see that when you're reading the newspaper and hearing about these stories from a totally different perspective than the people who are living it.  too often our frame of reference is limited to our own lives.  not everybody lives and experiences life the way you do.

so, while my brush may have been broad, i still know that one or two bristles didn't have any paint on them.

[ Parent ]

Hmm (none / 0) (#16)
by Corruptany on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:09:04 PM EST
hailstorm you need to spend some time talking to the residents of the hood. I live on Sheridan Ave for three years and worked at a bank on Central Avenue. You had some bad apples, but they were more or less transient crackheads who found their way to Albany after being in jail. Most people who live their are very civic minded, family oriented and care about what goes on.

Unfortunatley our leaders share your belief that they are mostly scum. Many of these people are products of the cultural vew of minorities. They are forced into the endless cycle of working three jobs to get by due to the lack of opportunities they have.I am not blaming whites by the way, I blame many social workers, policy analysts and community activists for this culture. They seem to allow this to happen as apposed to expect something from these people. Still, many of these people are good people, they just are stuck in the ghetto world. I knew people who worked three jobs just to make sure their kids could go to schools like St. Thomas and St. Pius.

Unfortunatley, they had to work so much that they left their kids alone, the street was their babysitter. Over the past few years as I said above, the slime from NYC has come in. They are the ones pushing the drugs and preying on impressionable minds. I don't blame the ghetto for this, I blame a society that thinks that its not their buisness. If we really cared and wanted to stop this, we would recruit suburanites, universities, and churches to take a great role in helping their neighbors in need out. Yeah maybe more things happen in the hood, that doesn't mean we have to sit here and continue to let it happen.

[ Parent ]

you've got me wrong (none / 0) (#22)
by hailstorm on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 08:03:39 AM EST
i have lived in the hood, and still live on its fringe.  both in albany and another great decaying upstate city.  i'm only saying what i've seen and experienced firsthand.

but no, i'm not making excuses for it.  and no, i'm not blaming the 'hood or minorities for the problem.  so don't jump to conclusions.

the point of my original post was to explain that the world is a different place when you look at it from your front stoop on clinton ave, than it is from your armchair in clifton park.  i know that people "know" that, but often they don't really take it into account when looking into matters such as these.  it's one thing to know that it's a different perspective, it's another to put yourself in someone else's shoes and live it.

and you're right.  the lower class, mostly minority, urban communities have been screwed over time and time again.  and sure, a lot of it comes from outside.  and the expectations that these people will never make anything of their lives is a rather self-fulfilling prophecy.

again, i didn't say that there aren't good people there.  people who mean well.  but they're trapped in this culture of resignation, of nothing to lose, of being backed into a corner with nowhere to run.

and yes, everyone else, from the city leaders, to your average suburbanite, is quite content to sit by and let it happen.  to think otherwise is little more than a fantastical pipe dream.  as long as they're removed from it.  as long as they can drive their armored vehicles back to their surburban fortresses every night where they watch the news and say, "isn't that horrible..." to all these stories.  as long as they don't HAVE to do anything about it, they won't.

[ Parent ]

Not much they can do (none / 0) (#27)
by AlfredMoisiu on Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 12:57:07 PM EST
Most folks living in crime-ridden neighborhoods are decent people living in fear. The problem is nobody can really do anything about it, because the conditions that lead to that poverty are state/regional/national issues. The attempts to help things along, like social services, public housing, more spending on schools, etc have historically just made things worse.

That's not to say that the APD can't act more effectively. But even at their best, the police are a reactive force, and change must come from within the community.

[ Parent ]

Be Reasonable (none / 0) (#17)
by VoiceOfReason on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 05:27:56 PM EST
     Most Albanians know that crime in our great city is on the decline.  Operation IMPACT is working.  The little crime we have left is due to our horrible public education system.  If the teachers would consider the needs of their students rather than their teachers contract these kids wouldn't be living a life of crime.  But there is much reason to be optimistic.
     The charter schools are doing one hell of a job.  Kids now have a reason to have hope rather than turn to a life of crime.  Yet, we still do have a cause for concern.  
     Our District Attorney is sending a clear message to Albany's youth - that committing crime is okay.  With all the plea deals our youth understands that if you do the crime you WILL NOT pay the time.  We need a District Attorney who is tough on criminals.  
     All things considered, I am with Vandenburgh on this one, sometimes it takes a bad thing occurring to realize how good things are.  This weekend marked the first homicide of the year and we are well over halfway through the year.  What we are going to need is more public servants who put people first like our great Mayor Jennings and Chief Tuffey.  What we don't need is negative people looking to politicize a tragedy.  If you don't have something good to say then don't say anything at all!

VoR
"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it." -Abraham Lincoln

is that you jerry? (none / 0) (#18)
by Breakupthemachine on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:30:21 PM EST
If you don't have something good to say then don't say anything at all!

you should heed your own advice.
~~~~In Vino Vertas~~~~
[ Parent ]

Don't feed the trolls! (none / 0) (#26)
by AlfredMoisiu on Wed Aug 22, 2007 at 12:43:11 PM EST
EOM

[ Parent ]
Today's TU article (none / 0) (#31)
by Breakupthemachine on Sun Aug 26, 2007 at 04:54:11 AM EST
What do you think about your hero jerry and jimmy role in the machine gun scandal?
~~~~In Vino Vertas~~~~
[ Parent ]
voice of you are making me angry (none / 0) (#19)
by Lame Man on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 07:37:27 PM EST
Most Albanians know

In case you missed my comments in the other thread, I expressed my extreme disliking of you claiming that you speak for "most Albanians."  Get.  Over.  Yourself.

If you have a thought to share, share it.  But do not couch it in this bogus "I speak for all, except for the crazies!" nonsense.

Here.  Let me edit for you, dropping your annoying rhetoric.

Crime is on the decline.
The charter schools are doing one hell of a job.
Our District Attorney is sending a clear message that committing crime is okay.
Mayor Jennings and Chief Tuffey are great.

There.  Now we have a concise set of statements that we can discuss.  I am not going to do so right now, because, boyo, you have annoyed me enough for one evening.

IDIOT!!!!!!!! (none / 0) (#20)
by Corruptany on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 09:27:53 PM EST
Looks like someone on this board is looking to kiss some tan ass to get himself/herself a patronage job. I don't mean to be an ass, but crime is not down my friend. The TU aka the voice of the machine doesn't even report half of the shootings. My grandmother lives on Osborn Street in the South End and she is getting sicker and sicker each day due to fear. Her neighborhood is a war zone where as she hears shooting everyday of the week, crackheads do drugs on her porch and just last week some kid was smashed with a brick outside her stoop. Listen to me, I live on another city and people who visit Albany always say this; "Wow I have never seen so many crackhouses", "I have never been so scared in my life","Is that all people do there is drink and get into fights","I thought Newark was bad". I hope you realize karma is a bitch my friend. Wake up and look outside the window of Jerrys office when you take a break from you know what and tell me what you see.

[ Parent ]
is this guy for real? (none / 0) (#23)
by hailstorm on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 08:12:41 AM EST
as someone who has lived in an "urban" area of this city for the greater part of a decade now, i can say without hestitation that this is by far the worst summer i have ever seen in terms of crime.

it was just a matter of luck, and possibly bad aim, that nobody has been killed sooner.  do calls that the cops don't respond to still count in the crime statistics?

what really scares me is the age of the perpetrators seems to be getting younger and younger every year.

[ Parent ]

Hail (none / 0) (#24)
by alfrednewman on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 09:09:16 AM EST
I don't know if this is really the "wost" summer, I think that crime reporting is better than it used to be and the statistics are reflecting this.

I think the biggest difference that I am noting is that violent crime seems to be different this year. In the past there was a lot of random violence. This year its mostly, well, targeted.

 
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
[ Parent ]

worst (none / 0) (#25)
by hailstorm on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 09:29:05 AM EST
from where i'm standing, it's the worst.  i can't say it's the worst city-wide, or the worst year ever.  but in the part of the city where i live, for the amount of time i've lived in albany, it's the worst i've seen.

i've definitely seen a rise in random, but not necessarily violent, crime in the neighborhood i live in.  there does seem to be an overall increased tension in the air.

that's just my perspective though.

[ Parent ]

Not sure what good it does (none / 0) (#21)
by kateb on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 05:01:44 AM EST

for our elected leaders to be sniping at each other. How about working together?

Nitevision, Voice of anything but reason (none / 0) (#32)
by Jim Travers on Mon Aug 27, 2007 at 01:29:44 AM EST
Nitevision, I don't believe anyone, as you say in your post #5, "I am dumbfounded that anyone could react to this weekend's shootings and stabbings by pinning the blame on the mayor or Tuffey." cast blame on either Jerry of Tuffey for these crimes. I believe only questions were asked looking for reasons. Perhaps you could point out for me exactly who did and where they said so, as I could not find any such statement said by anyone.

I don't think anyone here doesn't appreciate the fine work the good and honorable cops are doing.

Maybe you could explain to VOR what you meant when you said "many (cops) are eating sandwiches in their patrol cars because they don't have time between calls to go to a restaurant.", because they believe everything's so great in Albany.

I agree with your appraisal of Mesley.

Voice of reason, I have come to the conclusion that you are completely out of your mind. I believe you must be suffering from having two heads and may be growing a third. It must be a tremendous burden walking around with Jerry and Jimmy on your shoulders and now your trying to hoist Vandenburgh up there too.

You obviously live nowhere near to the areas affected by rising crime, maybe you live in the 11th ward.

You know nothing about Operation Impact because if you did you would realize it is headed by the DA. So how is it that you rave about its success and then criticize Soares for failing to be tough on crime?

Your comment on charter schools proves you don't read the newspapers, or maybe you just missed those issues that dealt with their failures.

"The little crime we have left is due to our horrible public education system.  If the teachers would consider the needs of their students rather than their teachers contract these kids wouldn't be living a life of crime."

"If you don't have something good to say then don't say anything at all!"

Hypocrite!

While in another post I pointed out that overall crime is down, I failed to include the fact that Violent Crime is skyrocketing in the city. Let's not forget what the Honorable Councilman Dominick Calsolaro had to say about it being up by 80% over past years:

"... But, as noted in the report, while guns were used in 10.4% of Part 1 violent crimes in Albany in 2002, that percentage increased to 18.7% in 2005 and 16.3% in 2006. So, another way of looking at the statistics other than by the TU headline writers, is that the use of guns in violent crimes in Albany increased by over 80% from 2002 to 2005. In other words, the use of guns in violent crimes almost DOUBLED in three years!"

But don't ask me or Dominick, ask Nitevision. He'll explain to you why the cops don't have time to eat their lunches in peace.

Murder Weekend in Albany | 32 comments (32 topical, 0 hidden)
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