STLtoday - In StL’s latest homicide, man shot on Emerson

A 28-year-old man was shot to death Tuesday night in the 5000 block of Emerson Avenue, St. Louis police say.

…

Police say Bradley had been near the back porch of a home when there was a confrontation with someone.

This is one reason why I love my privacy fence so much. It makes me harder to aim at when I sit on my deck.

STLtoday - StL County man, 25, slain on porch
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/21/2008

ST. LOUIS — A 25-year-old St. Louis County man was killed Tuesday evening after being shot while sitting on a front porch in the city, police said today.

Jeffery Hughes, of the 10000 block of Durness Drive in north St. Louis County, was shot just before 10 p.m., police said. He died after being shot once in the upper left shoulder, police said.

Police said that Hughes had been sitting on the porch in the 5700 block of Era Avenue in the Walnut Park West neighborhood when witnesses say two men walked from a gangway and began firing shots.

Police were called to the home at 9:58 p.m. Tuesday. Detectives were given sketchy details of the suspects: “Two black males wearing dark clothing.”

The murder is under investigation by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments homicide detectives.

…what a few days of decent weather and copious amounts of sleep can do for one’s mood. I didn’t get out today but I laundered, I vacuumed, I napped, I COOKED, even. Involving pans (multiple) and fresh ingredients! I had the windows open, I walked around the back yard. I snorgled puppies, I didn’t have to clean up any poop in the house. I wore shorts! Life is good.

For this moment in time with wet hair and a tummy full of Pad Thai and clean laundry and sweet-smelling carpets, life is good.

Now, wintry mix is apparently imminent, but maybe they’re wrong about that - who knows? The one thing I am worried about is the “2 days of good weather” effect on the crime rate. Because you know my theory - all these thugs and shitheads have been cooped up for months and then last night it was nice and they got out mixing with each other. Fun right? But then they will inevitably start fighting. Now, if it’s only one day of good weather then that’s the end of it. But tonight’s promised rain did not materialize. If it stays clear through the prime shooting hours of 1-5 a.m. then the peeps with guns (everyone) will go find whoever pissed them off last night and shoot them - maybe right in the apartments, even. I am just saying it’s not going to be a good night to be on your front porch, or sitting in a car idling in front of your own house.

Will be interesting to read the overnight death count in tomorrow morning’s paper.

More front-porch shootings.

I think if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of this it’s that one should never sit

A) on a front porch
B) in a parked car in front of a home (especially one’s own home)

If you’re home, get inside seems to be wisest course of action. Also, we’ve got another case of someone being shot in the block, and I am telling you - that shit stings.

ST. LOUIS: Police seek suspects in 3 separate killings
02/28/2008

Police were searching Wednesday for the killers in separate shootings, all within a few miles of each other, that have left three people dead since Monday.

Witnesses told police that George D. Lathon Jr., 21, of the 10000 block of Count Drive, was visiting a home in the 5800 block of Lotus Avenue early Wednesday when he argued with another man. He and the man struggled, and the man shot Lathon, who later died. The shooter had not been arrested as of late Wednesday, police said.

Also on Wednesday, police identified two men fatally shot within 20 minutes Monday night. Edmund Mack, 29, of the 5200 block of Lotus Avenue, was shot to death on the front porch of a home in that block about 8:10 p.m. Monday.

About 8:30 p.m., Deandre Hogans, 28, was fatally shot in the 4900 block of Rosalie Street in St. Louis. Hogans lived in the 4600 block of St. Ferdinand.

Police say they do not believe the shootings are related.

ST. LOUIS: City man is found fatally shot in car

11/01/2007
Martino Williams, 35, was found dead of gunshot wounds late Tuesday in a car that was parked behind a home in the 2500 block of Dodier Street, northwest of downtown, St. Louis police said.

Police said a resident returning home about 8:40 p.m. saw the man in the driver’s seat of a 2006 Kia and called police. Williams, of the 4400 block of Tennessee Avenue in the Dutchtown neighborhood, had been shot twice in the face.

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Further proof that sitting on a porch in St. Louis just doesn’t pay.

STLtoday - News - Law & Order

All hell broke loose on a back porch in St. Louis Tuesday night, with three wounded men running for their lives.

Police say it all began about 9:20 p.m., when the three were seated on the porch, in the 3000 block of North Euclid Avenue, in the city’s Kingsway East neighborhood.

Suddenly, two young men popped out of the south gangway and opened fire.

Although the shots hit home, the three victims managed to flee.

One, 43 years old, ran into the house and collapsed in the kitchen with two wounds in his abdomen and two more in his upper left leg.

The second, 33, ran through the house and onto the front porch, despite a wound to his left ankle.

The third, 35, ran through the back yard and into a neighboring house. He had a gunshot wound in his right calf and also suffered a broken left ankle.

All three were taken to hospitals and were reported in stable condition,.

So far, nobody has been arrestd. (sic)

I particularly love the reporters use of  “All hell broke loose” at the beginning of the story, as well as the men “popping out” of the “gang”way (ha!) and the shots “hitting home.” I think I would like a little more melo with my drama, thanks.

And then this guy  ”The second, 33, ran through the house and onto the front porch…” Oh my freaking God does he have A) no sense or B) total brass balls? Shot on the back porch, ostensibly the less dangerous porch attached to any St. Louis home, and he runs to the front porch? Wow. Now that takes some cojones my friends. That or a lack of brain. One of those.

In other news, looks like St. Louis might be set to become only the 2nd most dangerous city in America. Whoo! Let the party start now! Just, you know, not on the porch.

Oh what a night.

ST. LOUIS — An off-duty, rookie St. Louis police officer shot and killed a 16-year-old boy who had pulled a gun on her in a robbery attempt outside her home late Saturday, authorities said. It was one of at least 10 shootings on a bloody night in the city.

The thing is, you know this is happening becuase it was the second decent night of weather in the last month. The first night everyone went out and pissed everyone else off. The second night they went to do something about it. Continue reading »