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Mark-John Clifford
Violence Doesn't Take a Break
2021-04-06
photo courtesy of GV Wire
About two weeks ago, we had a murder in Fresno. I know we have murders all the time, but this one and its aftermath have inflamed many in the community and myself.
Before I get into the murder mentioned above, I wanted to give you a little idea of Fresno's violence in the past couple of weeks, courtesy of ABC News 30, my goto news channel.
420% Increase
photo courtesy of ABC 30 News
We've seen a street vendor murdered in cold blood while working by an 18-year-old. An 18-year-old man was killed outside a gas station.
A 49-year-old homeless man was killed after a suspect opened fire into a homeless encampment in another killing.
Along with these three, there were a total of nine other killings during the past couple of weeks. Each killing had different aftermaths.
Two of the killings had aftermaths that involved children of the deceased. In the first killing of the street vendor, there were four children left behind without a father.
The second killing that left children behind was the one mentioned at the beginning of the article when a husband killed his wife. Six children from that family lost their Mom and their father, accused of the murder and locked behind bars.
Crime is rampant throughout the world. There isn't a country nor city that doesn't have crime in some form.
Here in Fresno, the new Police Chief Badaramma has said that Fresno is dealing with a massive crime spike. Right now, the city of Fresno homicide rate is up 420% from this period in 2020, as reported via ABC News 30.
I lived in New York for many years and have seen my share of crime, but when I first moved to Fresno in 2006, it seemed pretty quiet even though there were gangs in the area.
I remember thinking back then that I was happy that I moved to the area since it seemed to have much less violence than New York City, but times have changed.
The Story
My original reason for writing this story which is based on the murder of a wife by her husband and its aftermath, which left the six children without both parents, is about a strange and upsetting event that happened with all their belongings that the family had left behind to be picked up later after getting the children situated in homes of family members.
According to ABC 30 and interviews with the family, when the family returned to gather the rest of the children and their parents' belongings, everything was gone. Furniture, clothes, and personal belongings were all gone from the home.
When the news interviewed the landlord, she had an interpreter speak for her, saying she had talked with the family about clearing out the home. She even live-streamed herself cleaning out the house while complaining about how the family lived. The landlord said she wasn't reimbursed for cleaning the home, plus the family never gave her a security deposit.
The family disputes the landlord's claims, and the police are still trying to figure out why.
Here's an entire family dealing with the murder of a loved one, helping six children settle in after the murder, and then having to deal with their property being thrown out or kept for reimbursement.
In the aftermath of what's happening, it seems the family is working with local non-profits to help them get the clothing and supplies they need to continue living a somewhat normal life. Whatever that kind of normal would be.
Opinion
I can't imagine what they are going through. I can't imagine what each child is thinking right now. I've never been in that position and hope never to be put in that situation.
I don't always understand the way people think. I know everyone has their idea of how things should be. I know people sometimes feel they are owed something in return for being good. I also understand that there are two, actually three sides to every story, but I also know there should be understanding of the situation, whatever it may be on all sides, no matter how many there are.
In times of strife or, in this case, murder, wouldn't it be best to be helpful and understanding and work with the family as they strive to give these six children a new beginning?
Wouldn't it be in the landlord's best interest to show some emotion and humanitarian thoughts by giving back the family's property?
when I did security at fashion fair mall I responded to a call regarding a young boy who had kicked a baby in the head. When making contact with the mom the boy got apologetic and said "I'm sorry I just get violent sometimes." I responded well it's not good to be violent. When I said that the mom shot me the dirtiest look like how dare u tell my son not to be violent. U raise ur children to have no regard for human life because u think it makes them macho and wonder why 18 y.o.'s r murderer street vendors.
Patrick Oneill
2021-04-06
In cases like this were the landlord thinks she or he is put out of place or inconvenient because they had to pay for cleaning. That nothing compared to six kids losing there mother and father there life's are changed forever. How would that landlord like her or his face put on a billboard for everyone to see this is how the owner dealt with the situation. let's see how they feel when the hole valley see the billboard .
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