Spring Break
Newark murders shatter students' hope for future
By: Noah Cohen
Issue date: 8/10/07 Section: Ed-Op
Originally published: 8/10/07 at 3:40 AM EST
Last update: 8/10/07 at 3:39 AM EST
Originally published: 8/10/07 at 3:40 AM EST
Last update: 8/10/07 at 3:39 AM EST
- Page 1 of 1
Sunday night, three young lives ended in a brutal execution-style murder. The victims were lined up in the Mount Vernon School playground and shot in the head. The dead were Delaware State University students home for summer vacation. As students living in Philadelphia, we are often numb to violence but the DSU students died in another troubled city - Newark N.J.
So what? Newark is widely known to be a high crime area were drug dealers and gangs rule neighborhoods. What is the significance of murders miles from Drexel?
The answers is that besides the sheer horror of trying to image the final moments of these young lives, we must face the issue of inner-city violence as transcending geography, economics and race.
These were college students - much like us. More tragically the victims lived in Newark and could have all too easily taken the path of crime. Instead they elected to get an education.
Too often inner city violence is viewed as "thugs killings thugs." This was not the case in the playground executions.
"Our detectives said they were good kids, they never had any issues with the law," Paul Loriquet, spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutors Office told the Star Ledger.
As the investigation continues, early reports indicate that the victims were just that - victims. Innocent kids killed in what should be the most innocent of places - a school playground.
When faced with such senseless violence, I try to analyze and calculate how this could have happened. What can be done to solve this crime and prevent future crimes?
With every headline of murder, the questions become more difficult and more frustrating.
There are program and polices that can, and have helped to stop violent crime - somehow I have seen no mention of them in the presidential debates or in the major media, but that is for another discussion.
The Triangle is a student paper - we speak to students. Here, three students have been murdered and one lies in critical condition with gunshot wounds from the attack. As students I ask that everyone remember the victims Terrence Aeriel, Dashon Harvey and Ofemi Hightower who are dead and one student, Natasha Aeriel, who is wounded.
Although they died in a place many of us aren't familiar with, they were striving for a goal we are all chasing - the hope of a better life.
If the deaths themselves do not move you then I will leave you with this thought:
Imagine a nine-year-old in Newark who wants to go play in the Mount Vernon School yard, the yard were detectives collect shell casings and workers will work to scrub away the blood.
His parents must explain that three people were murdered, three people who were working towards their education and chasing their dreams.
What do these murders do to the dreams of that child?
Noah Cohen is a junior majoring in communications and is the news editor.
So what? Newark is widely known to be a high crime area were drug dealers and gangs rule neighborhoods. What is the significance of murders miles from Drexel?
The answers is that besides the sheer horror of trying to image the final moments of these young lives, we must face the issue of inner-city violence as transcending geography, economics and race.
These were college students - much like us. More tragically the victims lived in Newark and could have all too easily taken the path of crime. Instead they elected to get an education.
Too often inner city violence is viewed as "thugs killings thugs." This was not the case in the playground executions.
"Our detectives said they were good kids, they never had any issues with the law," Paul Loriquet, spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutors Office told the Star Ledger.
As the investigation continues, early reports indicate that the victims were just that - victims. Innocent kids killed in what should be the most innocent of places - a school playground.
When faced with such senseless violence, I try to analyze and calculate how this could have happened. What can be done to solve this crime and prevent future crimes?
With every headline of murder, the questions become more difficult and more frustrating.
There are program and polices that can, and have helped to stop violent crime - somehow I have seen no mention of them in the presidential debates or in the major media, but that is for another discussion.
The Triangle is a student paper - we speak to students. Here, three students have been murdered and one lies in critical condition with gunshot wounds from the attack. As students I ask that everyone remember the victims Terrence Aeriel, Dashon Harvey and Ofemi Hightower who are dead and one student, Natasha Aeriel, who is wounded.
Although they died in a place many of us aren't familiar with, they were striving for a goal we are all chasing - the hope of a better life.
If the deaths themselves do not move you then I will leave you with this thought:
Imagine a nine-year-old in Newark who wants to go play in the Mount Vernon School yard, the yard were detectives collect shell casings and workers will work to scrub away the blood.
His parents must explain that three people were murdered, three people who were working towards their education and chasing their dreams.
What do these murders do to the dreams of that child?
Noah Cohen is a junior majoring in communications and is the news editor.
