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August 9, 2006

 

Deadly disparity for black malesBy Vic Ryckaert and Mark Nichols

vic.ryckaert@indystar.com

53% of 2006 homicide victims -- but only 12% of population

Homicide victims in Marion County are disproportionately black males. They're young. And most of them diefrom gunshot wounds.

 An examination of police records shows more than half of the 93homicide victims this year were black males -- 49 -- even thoughthey account for 12 percent of the population.

Of those, 18 were ages 20 to 29.In comparison, white males have been victims of 13 homicides this year.

Overall, 79 of the victims -- 85 percent -- died from gunshot wounds. Three motives accounted for 44 of thehomicides, records show: arguments, domestic abuse and robberies. The motive is listed as unknown for 34other killings.

 A drastic increase in killings -- 13 victims since Aug. 2 -- has drawn calls for action from local leaders and a

request for a $54 million increase for public safety in next year's city-county budget.The reasons for the surge are difficult to pinpoint, but many blame societal problems of poverty, drug abuse,bad parenting and easy access to guns. Others point to the early releases of inmates from the crowdedMarion County Jail.

On Tuesday, 39-year-old Eric Taylor became the latest black male to be slain. Taylor was stabbed to deathin a Far-Eastside apartment at 12:40 a.m. The circumstances were still unclear late Tuesday, and theMarion County Sheriff's Department wanted to question a 23-year-old man who lives in the apartment. Justhours before, police found another black male, 17-year-old Destin Davidson, slain in an alley in the 4700block of Caroline and Hillside avenues on the Northside.

City-County Council President Monroe Gray says it's time for citizens, especially blacks, to take charge andreach youths before they end up in trouble with the law.

Manner of death

• 79 died of gunshot wounds• 5 were stabbed• 3 were strangled• 2 died of blunt-forcetrauma• 1 died of asphyxia• 1 was shaken• 1 was suffocated• 1 suffered head trauma

Motives or circumstances• 3 accidental shootings• 13 arguments• 4 arguments over drugs• 4 child abuse• 13 domestic abuse• 1 fight• 1 murder-suicide• 1 retaliation• 4 revenge• 9 robberies• 4 drug-related robberies• 1 sexual• 1 self-defense during

robbery• 34 unknown

Sources: Marion CountyJustice Agency, Star research

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"We need to do something in the beginning . . . to keep kids out of the system," Gray said. "This is anongoing problem for the African-American community. Somewhere along the line, the African-Americancommunity has to step up and take responsibility."

Gray is forming a community think tank that will explore solutions to the increase in violence."There's no simple answer," Gray said. "We have to keep working until we come up with several differentprograms. It ain't something that's going to be resolved overnight."

Hopelessness and despairNationally, homicide victims were six times more likely to be black than white in 2004, the most recent year 

for which data are available, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The bureau also found blackmales ages 18 to 24 had the highest homicide victimization rates in 2004.

"The thing that is most disappointing to me personally and professionally is we seem to be killing eachother," Deputy Mayor Steve Campbell said. "That's frustrating."

The problems, Campbell said, are within society. He said many young blacks have feelings of hopelessnessand despair.

"The images they see on TV are the only images they get," Campbell said. Community leaders have toshow youths they have more choices than becoming a rapper, basketball player or gangster."I absolutely believe there can be change," Campbell said. "But we have to take a leadership role on this.Young black males are not going to listen to (Mayor) Bart Peterson; they may not even listen to SteveCampbell. We've got to find a way to communicate with them and let them know there's a way out."Now that the problem has been identified, said Steven Ingram, deputy director for the Indiana Commission

on the Social Status of Black Males, it's time to do something.

"Now that the lid is off and it's out there that we do have a problem, it's imperative that we bring folks to thetable and we get folks together and try to eradicate it in some sort of way, to come up with a solution, not just have a meeting," he said. "Something needs to be done."

The commission intends to reach out to faith-based communities for help.

"Having our ministers involved in this is crucial," Ingram said. "We can't continue to remove God from theseterrible situations and expect them to get better."

One minister will take action today. A "drive-by" prayer vigil will start at 6:15 p.m., with stops at five siteswhere Indianapolis residents were killed during the most recent string of homicides.

"If drive-by guns can kill, then drive-by prayers can heal," said A. Thomas Hill, pastor of Healing Streams

Word & Worship Center. A five-minute prayer will be offered at each site, starting with 56th Street andGeorgetown Road on the Northwestside.

The vigil is sponsored by Healing Streams and City-County Councilman Paul Bateman. The night will end atSt. Philips Episcopal Church, 720 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., where a wake for cabdriver Clarence "Chip"Hoosier, killed during an apparent robbery, will be held beginning at 5 p.m.

Pointing to parentsParents need to take more responsibility for their children, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson said, andeverybody needs to start looking out for their neighbors.

"Our society is weakened because the roots are not strong," Anderson said. "There are so many things thatwe -- and notice I keep saying 'we' -- can do. We are going to have to try to work together to get this uglything off of us.

"We need to reach out to these kids."

Indianapolis Police Chief Michael Spears agrees that youth outreach efforts will be key to stemming the tideof violence.

"Growing up has always been difficult. In today's world of instant gratification and inappropriate influences,the teenage years for many children are confusing and sometimes lonely," Spears said. "We sincerely askfor, and appreciate help from, all persons willing to help us make a difference in the life of a young person."Youths need to be taught right from wrong, Spears said, and shown that "there are consequences and,often, very heavy prices to pay for wrongdoing."

County leaders might be seeing the results of their decades-long failure to adequately fund public safety,Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said.

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Marion County judges have freed more than 2,000 inmates awaiting trial this year to keep from violating afederal judge's population cap on the county jail. In June alone, 477 inmates were freed early.

"It's like releasing sewage," Brizzi said. "At some point, that is going to have a negative effect on the peopleof Marion County."

Many of the homicide victims had criminal records of their own, Brizzi noted.

"I don't think that this is an African-American issue or a white issue," Brizzi said. "If you are involved incriminal activity, there is a risk that you yourself might become a victim."

Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2761.