ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcus Johnson Jr.'s parents figured a sunny day at the park was just what their son needed while recovering from heart surgery.
Instead, the outing turned deadly when the 6-year-old was shot in the chest in an attack the parents said stemmed from a traffic dispute. They were to bury their boy Thursday, just over a week after the family visited O'Fallon Park on the north side of St. Louis following a doctor's appointment.
The occupants of a car fired on the family's minivan as it left the park. The boy's 15-year-old brother and a 69-year-old family friend were also wounded.
The boy's father, Marcus Johnson Sr., said he returned fire in self-defense as the rolling shootout continued for several blocks. Three other children — ages 8, 10 and 11 — were also in the vehicle.
Police say the March 11 shooting remains under investigation but declined to discuss specifics.
Officer Don Re was less reticent in his personal blog, describing in detail his response to a "senseless death" when he was called to the hospital where another officer had driven the child in his patrol car rather than wait for an ambulance.
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1 comment:
Another all too typical story of life in the ghetto,
There's more to this story, some painfully obvious unanswered questions that would draw a clearer picture of this tragedy.
What was the father doing, stopping to chat with gang members? Especially with his family and young son in the car?
Why was he also carrying a loaded weapon in his car? Was it legally registered to him and did he have a valid carry permit?
What the hell was he thinking, engaging in a "rolling gun battle" which could have just as easily resulted in someone else's child being caught in the crossfire? Is he going to be charged?
Is this the same incident where immediately after the boy was hit, the people gathered to involve themselves ib the confrontation, ignoring the boy as he lay dying?
.And turned on the police when they first responded, threatening and attempting to impede them?
Do any lives matter to those people, who are now threatening the lives of this bereaved family?
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