Jamiel Shaw Jr., 17

Jamiel Shaw Jr., 17, a black youth, was shot in the head and back at 2150 Fifth Ave. in Arlington Heights at about 8:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 2. According to police, Jamiel was walking home when two Latino men jumped out of a white car and approached him. He was asked what gang he belonged to;  when he failed to respond quickly enough, they shot him. The men sped away in the white car north on Fifth Avenue, according to Officer Kate Lopez of LAPD's media relations office. Jamiel's father heard the shots and ran out. He stayed by his son until medical personnel arrived, Lopez said. He was transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m.

More in the Los Angeles Times story.

Comments

[TRTUTH SEEKER]

If you go to his page on myspace and look at his headline. It's clear that he was gang affiliated despite any report that may say other wise.

30K means Harlem 30's Killa
EK means 18th Street Killa.

So he obvioulsy had some issues with rival gangs. Looks like he wasn't so innocent after all.

http://www.myspace.com/185526611

[sick of the drama]

Its really sad that another kid had to die because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Oh wait...he was headed to the one place that should be safe to all kids, home. His mom is out fighting for all of us and his dad was busy raising two boys to be men, not coward drug running losers. News flash to all the VATOS LOCOS out there...not every black guy is in a gang. And to all the thugs on the black side, not every hispanic is in a gang. I think that this country needs to bring back public execution. In the "dark" ages there was alot less violence against others.

If you feel the need to kill someone please join the military so that you can shoot at the people we are supposedly at war with.

[Telma Avila]

My heart goes out to your family. I know the feeling I know what you're going through. My son Kevin was shot three times in Oct. 2007, he had just turned 23. He was married and had a son of 19 months but, at the time he was just 1 in Sept. him, his wife, and the baby had celebrated their birthdays they were all in Sept. He was so proud of his son he was everything to him. But now all has changed since that fateful morning of Oct. 20, 2007, when a male Latino/ Latinos in a grey to silver Chrysler 300 pulled a gun and shot him multiple times without a warning . All he was going to do was meet with his best friend to chat a little and get a bite to eat before his wife went to work. My son died instantly he never had a chance. Just like your husband I too heard the shots because my son and his family lived across the street from us in a little guest house. They had just moved in there one month before. But I did not know it was him who had gotten shot. Our lives have changed forever. My son misses his brother they were the best of friends besides being brothers. Just like your son Kevin was not a gang member nor did he have any affiliation with gangs. My family and I are all educators. He worked for Washington Mutual and was very well liked by all. He had a very keen sense of humor there was never a day that he would not come and say hello before going to work or saying goodnight before retireing to his family. It has been six months and untill now we know nothing about the murderer /s you were very lucky to have had the killer captured within days. All I get from the Foothill Division is " We're working on it" They rarely return my calls I would like to get some closure to this. There is not a day that goes by without me crying myself to sleep, I try to be strong for my younger sons but it is hard to also keep an appearance at school where I work. Anyway just like you I feel something has got to get done to get all these gangs off our streets and stop them from killing any more innocent children. His son Jordan will never know the kind of father Kevin was. But I know that the Lord is the only Judge and those people will have their day with him.

[James Crowley]

Please, LAPD, destroy the gangs. We have had enough. They are terrorists destroying lives, senselessly, needlessly.

Not one more parent should have to grieve the loss of their child.

The gangs must be destroyed. Use every tool to destroy the gangs, whether it's Special Order 40, asking immigrant status, random stop and search teams (like field sobriety checks), whatever. But do it NOW.

RIP Jamal.

[Misty]

If you read through this blog, so much blame is placed on race, gangs, legality of immigration status... THINK FOR ONE MINUTE IF EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD WAS BLIND AND NOBODY KNEW THE RACE/GENDER/AFFILIATION of anyone else...we wouldnt have 3/4 of the murders we do today. We see a murder in the news or witness the murder of a friend... a senseless murder... and we want not only "justice" or revenge on the suspect... but we want revenge of the "classification" of the suspect. A black man who murders someone does not mean that all black men are murderers... it means that THAT BLACK MAN is a murderer. Our society is too wrapped up with categorizing people and presuming they all share the same characteristics. Characterizing (not discriminating against) people based on things we have control over is understandable because it reflects their morals and beliefs (gang affiliation, religion, sports activities, hobbies), but judging people based on their physical traits (race, gender, hair color) is the reason our society is how it is today - you cant judge a person based off soething they have no control over.

It will take a lot of work for LA to become a safe place to live. It is hard to teach thousands of people that the actions of one black/white/hispanic person do not mean that every other person of that race will act the same. And in a place where nobody knows any different, its especially hard to teach different. I know many successful individuals who are black, hispanic, white, female, male... the color of your skin and gender do not make you who you are - its the environment you surround yourself with. If you don't like living in fear, move somehwere you don't have to. It is so sad to see such a motivated individual's life be taken away, and his family's life torn apart, not because of his accomplishments but because of his environment. I must be naive because I had no idea that violence based off of such senseless motives still occurred.

I dont know the answer, but I give all of my condolences to the familys and friends of those who lost a loved one. I just lost my best friend. She was a "white girl" who was last scene with her "black drug dealer" (who was also on parole for murder/rape charges of unconscious women). You can only imagine the stories I've seen about "white girls" getting attention and "black on white crime". It doesnt matter. What matters is that a life was lost and will never be returned. The justice system needs to take care of the criminals responsible for such acts so that citizens and friends of victims won't feel the need to take matters into their own hands.

Thanks for listening.

[Mark]

I hope the homicide blog keeps track on the progress of the accused in going to trial.

The community demands it from the media. We want real news, not American Idol or Brittany Spears nonsense.

[ssdesigns]

This guy just got out of jail the day before and then killed Jamal.. unbelievable. LA police/ ICE did not look into legal status of this guy before they let him go? This makes no sense. Checking immigration status of criminals and deporting would not solve the gang problem but it probably would have let Jamal live another day. The government make it seem so difficult to find out immigration status. It's interesting though when you get hired at a company they verify this information pretty fast.

[TINA YAMASHIRO]

MY HEART GOES OUT TO JAMIEL'S FAMILY HOWEVER WHAT THE FAMILY IS TRYING TO PASS THIS JAMIEL LAW THAT DIRECTS ONLY ILLIGAL IMMIGRANTS IS IN IT''S SELF VERY DISTRUBING. SINCE THIS IS NOT A RACIAL ISSUE BUT STRICTLY OF ALL GANG MEMBERS REGARDLESS OF COLOR WHO ARE INVOLVED IN GANG VIOLENCE.
THIS LAW SHOULD INCLUDE ALL YOUNG MEN WHO ARE GANG MEMBERS.
THIS IS NOT A FORUM OF JUSTICE.
I KNOW BECAUSE MY GREAT NIECE WAS KILLED IN MONROVIA ON JANUARY 26,2008 , SHE WAS ONLY 16YRS OLD.
ON APRIL 6 THIS LAST SUNDAY WE HAD A UNITY PEACE MARCH IN ARCADIA. HAND IN HAND WITH LATINOS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR TWO VICTIMS GUNNED DOWN BY GANGS.
PEACE IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO SO THAT ALL VICTIMS FAIMILIES MAY COME TO HEAL.
WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN BY THIS LAW.
MANY BLESSINGS

[Peggy Sims]

Dear Anita and Family,

Hello Anita, This is Peggy Sims. I lived on the corner of central and Turmont in Carson. My brothers are Greg and Anthony Sims.we grew up together I lived on the corner house.
I would love to talk to you and your husbanc Please call me before you leave . I am so sorry to hear about your son. I would like for you to call me.

I extend my prayers and condolencenses to you and your family. I sympathize with you and your family. Please let me know what I can do to be a blessing to you..Your brother David and my brother Anthony where best friends. How is yiour Mom Betty?? and you rDad?

God Bless contact me
Peggy

God Bless You Emai me at the address I listed above.

Please email me so I can get in contact with you
avilaproductions_psa@yahoo.com

God Bless You All
Peggy

Thank You
Peggy Sims

[JOHN ADAMS SR]

I REALLY FEEL FOR THE FAMILY. THIS IS GETTING REDICULOUS. I HAVE ONE SON AND IM A SINGLE FATHER .MY SON IS 19 .I HAVE NO ANSWERS BUT SOMETHING DRASTIC HAS GOT TO BE DONE!!!!!

[Pat]

It is true that Black and Brown have been fighting for years, why over drug turf. Black peolpe have always accepted other races into our neighborhoods. When mexicans move into our neighoborhoods, they want to force us out by killing innocent people. This was a hit. This young man was a target for this low life, who wanted to go back to jail and be higher in the ranks of some mexican gang. In order to get into these gangs you have to kill someone in or out of the jail. This thug that killed Shaw is known in the system and will have stripes in his gang know. Move your kids out of this death trap called Los Angeles. LA is a haven for death. The best thing Black people can do to stop this cycle of death is get out of Los Angeles. Let 'them" have this Hell. Thank You.. My heart goes out to the Shaw family. Take your 9 year old and move..Give him a better chance..

[MB]

This is a tragedy.

The Shaw famliy needs to look into legal action against I.C.E. on a negligence theory/ violation of civil rights (the only theory on which you can really sue the Gov't under the circumstances).

Why have I.C.E. if they are not going to do their job? We can't look the other way. Either we have an Immigration policy or an open border. If this Administration of I.C.E. cannot handle the job, we need to force them out and get an administration that will. This is democracy in action.

I think that though we would like to ignore it, there is a serious problem any time that non-citizens are killing citizens with any regularity. Illegal immigrants are nearly impossible to track in this country, and (quiet as its kept.) with a mini-race war going on in Habor -Gateway involving many of these immigrants, the Government has a responsibility to protect its citizen. That does not mean that there are not good people who have entered the country illegally. But a few bad apple can ruin it for everyone. You don't have to like this, but what does citizenship mean, if it is ignored in times like this?

[Daledo]

In an interview with CNN over the weekend, the dad spoke gently, softly about his boy. At times, tears streamed down his face.

"It's sort of hard to understand, especially now that we know that it all could have been avoided. It was so avoidable," Jamiel Shaw Sr. said.

Would you have the guts to tell this man, at this time that his son's death had NOTHING to do with our illegal immigration?

[unico]

enough with the illegal immigrant stuff! this has nothing to do with the crime. this was a low life murderer who killed a promising young man. thats it. instead of fighting a war across seas we should fight the war against gangs. thats what all you should be worried about. fight gangs! so they dont take any more innocent lives. stop being disrespectful wo this young mans life and family. offer your condolences and leave all your politicking out of it.

[Mark]

Ruben, if this murderers parents had not crossed the border, Jamiel would still be alive.

If ICE had deported the accused murderer had been deported, then Jamiel would still be alive.

Every crime commited by an illegal immigrant is a crime that could have been prevented.

[Daledo]

We have many important issues to deal with in this city. A previous poster mentioned the problems of Education, Poverty, Media Bias, and the problem of Gangs. I agree all of these are major issues and need to be addressed.

I would logically submit that a lack of an effective immigration policy is a major problem as well. This is difficult to talk about in a rational way because emotions and personal relationships cloud the eyes. I might have missed it, but I didn’t see any poster here say the illegal immigration is the BIGGEST problem in LA. I believe there is evidence that the lack of an effective policy has negative effects on legal residents of all races, incomes, and geography. Many stats show that it hurts the poorest the most.

It is not fair to say "I turned out OK so therefore this illegal immigration thing isn't a problem". You cannot use one example and extrapolate it to the entire issue. Although Education, Poverty, Media Bias, and Gangs are all problems; to ignore the role of illegal immigration is either ignorance or a lie.

An effective immigration policy would have seen this murderer deported after release. FACT. An effective immigration policy would have kept this murderer off the streets before he had the chance to take life of this ALL-WORLD young man. FACT.

Let's at least have a logical discussion. My deepest condolences to Jamiel's family and friends.

[ruben]

Outraged Citizen

What are the facts of the murder rates from Illegal to Legal Citizens? About 10 to 1? Dont try and make this a Legal and ILLEGAL immigrant issue, this guy deserves what he gets, and i hope he rots in jail and i pray for the family of this poor kid who was taken from them, but DO NOT say that ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS are this cities BIGGEST problem, you've obviously just been watching WAY too much Lou Dobbs and CNN. We hav a GANG problem we have an EDUCATION problem we have a POVERTY problem and we even have a MEDIA problem (they cover Paris Hilton more than these murders) so i think we need to address these issues before we start pointing the finger at Illiegal Immigrants and Villaraigosa and his "sanctuary" comments (which by the way i've never heard).

My parents arrived here illegaly and my sister and i have grown up to be succesful TAXPAYING citizens and my sister probably takes care of you and your family because she is now a Doctor in this "sanctuary" city you call home, so please address the real issue.

RIP Jamiel Shaw Jr.,

[William Pequignot]

When I first heard about this story my thoughts and prayers went out to the Shaw family....I am still praying for this family. This is a tragedy on many levels and the biggest being the loss of this young man's bright future. The people of Los Angeles have to do something or this child's death will be in vain. Protest and continue to postest until Los Angeles is no longer a City of Sanctuary. Hold the Mayor, the CIty Board, and the elective officials accountable until these sort of situations become less-and-less. How do we get this started and when should we start? This should neve have happened.

[Outraged Citizen]

I have read all the comments and have a few things to say.

To start with, my family's and I's sympathies go out to the family of this young man.
TO the people who say it is or is not a hate crime or a race war forget one important thing. The killer was an ILLEGAL ALIEN and the Mayor has announced that LA is a sanctuary city. IF the Mayor had not delclared it a sanctuary city, then this ILLEGAL would have been keep in jail and this atrocity would not have happened. I think all so called 'santuary cities' should have every bit of federal government monies pulled until they follow the LAW. Something those activist in the state seem to forget.
As a white man, I thought that only white, married, hetrosexual, Christan men could be convicted of a hate crime.
Also, why is it considered RACIST to call someone who is in this country ILLEGALLY an ILLEGAL alien? Hmmm. My ancestor came to this country legally. My wife's family came to this country legally. And statement, that there are jobs that no AMERICAN will do is just a bunch of hot air.
How many more of our children are going to be killed or assualted by ILLEGALS will it take for the people in LA to say to the Mayor's office...>ENOUGH<
I hope not too many more.

God Be With You, Mr. Shaw Jr.

[unico]

this is a very sad story. but it is not about illegal immigration! this kid was brought here by his parents who probably had no idea he would grow up to be a killer. this has nothing to do with immigration other than the fact that the ICE dropped the ball in not deporting a criminal when they had the chance. some of you are mistaken. latinos, and immigrant activists want to see the country purged of individuals who are not here to do good. we should be deporting criminals. if you are a hard worker tryin to make a living, then by all means go ahead and stay, the US needs you after all.
but if your a low life drug dealer, murderer who has nothing better to do than take a promising young man from his family then lockem up and once they done serving time send em back.
but this case is not about immigration.
everyone is looking for an answer as to why this happened to such a special young man. but dont make it into something else.
the real tragedy is that brother jazz will not fulfill his destiny in life.
all you other people tryin to make it into a immigration debate are just being disrespectful.

[OG Nug]

when i first heard about this Race flew to mind Latino are trying to say what about the other side well the facts remain the same Race plays a part in most Latino killing of a black. you see the writing on the walls these are written by Latino Gangs N****Killer or M*****Killers in compton , habor gateway where ther ain't one black Gang in echo park these are pure Hate Crimes show me a black gang whom neigborhood has been indicted for hate crimes None but you have latino gangs indicted for these act of killing black for buying homes in the Avenues and in torrance the harbor gateway, so this kid was attack only because of his color and nothing else

[Mark]

Heres is the link to the LA Times story.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shaw23mar23,1,2665052.story

This is just wonderfull. ICE has a chance to identify a violent illegal alien and they fail. Jamiel should be alive right now, except there are too many activists in this state who are adamantly opposed to deportations of anyone.

I fail to see why its so hard to identify illegals while they're in jail. Everyone has an SSN. Everyone knows where they were born. And don't tell me that his lying to the authorities couldn't go undetected.

The Shaw family should be right in the face of their local representatives and throw red paint at their feet. Let them know their inaction on these criminals means the citizens of this country are paying in blood!!!!!!

[mike]

This is an outrage! It is beyond comprehension that our country would spend trillions of dollars overseas for some very opaque reasons while our youth are being butchered on our own streets. By whom you ask? if these killers were not just gang members but muslims, would that wake up our government? Would people continue to shrug their shoulders and ignore what is happening? I doubt it! Finally, what if the shooters had been white, can you imangine the rush to cover this story and the endless press coverage. Where is Al Sharpton and the other moralists? Ill be waiting for them to disembark from their planes and expose this injustice.

[Terry]

The LAT is now reporting the suspect is/was in the country illegally. Jamiel's mom was serving in Iraq, ostensibly for the security of the U.S., and he gets shot in cold blood by a criminal who just walks across the border.

[Ana Gutierrez]

My prayers are with Jamiel's loved ones.
And to the person who mentioned Jamiel's page on myspace,notice that his last log in was in june 2007!

[Kim]

That sweet, young, hopeful face of Jamiel Shaw will haunt me forever. This never should have happened.

My deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family.

[Coach G]

Janet love, i respect your opinion but i dont think this is the forum for that discusion... Besides nothing could be further from the truth,,, I grew up in south LA went to School in the southeast area of LA... hispanics and blacks have always interacted... at one point there where blacks in hispanic gangs and vice versa.... We've always embraced the latino culture.... but that culture has not always embraced us... at least not in recent years..... hispanics moved into south LA... did blacks try to drive them out....no... we welcomed them with open arms.... Dont think thats whats going on today!!!

this is a about something else.... RIP Jamiel Shaw

You didnt deserve this.... but God has a plan

Coach G

[ray hutley]

i'm ex-military grew up in florida and oakland california. both places where i stayed you had to have a fight game
before the gun game,because if you had the fight game down pack the gun didn't mean nothing and i still feel the
same way today at my age of 45 years old. if all you people would get together make your voice count at city hall to bring in the national guards because it seems like a
lack of police can't be in every place when something goes down. an this real what i'm throwing at you about so
they can police better than the police. i'm still mess up now its bad beacuse i still pack a gun but i rather knock a
fool out with my hands i had to in which did in the past.
there's got be a way to stop the fools who doing foolist
acts on the streets. i feel for the parent's of this kid and the lady last year who was stabbed to death standing at
the bus stop waiting for the bus she didn't have to be my
mother but if god would have just let me see something like that i would have put something on his A'''''''s. so please my a voice threw city hall get the governor involve
beacuse alot of these people are just innocent. please...............listen god bless all families

[Dion & Robin Miles, Sr.]

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Shaw,

Our hearts go out to you. Our Son, Dion Miles, Jr. age 19 was shot and murdered on June 13, 2007 and he too was an innocent uknown to the 17 year old gang member who shot him. Our son was missing for 6 days before the LA Coroner contacted me at my office and made the notification over the telephone. I listed in absolute horror and wondered how I could possibly tell my husband that his son, his name sake and most favored child had been murdered. Unfortunately, Dion Jr. also now has a page on the Los Angeles Homicide Blog.

Our son's murderer was apprehended 13 days after the murder and just one day before the viewing of our son's body.

My husband and I watched you on television and cried as we listened to the story about what happened to your son. We have lived everyday since the killing of our son in pain and suffering as these senseless murders continue.

Shortly after the death of your son, our son's murder trial commenced in Compton Superior Court. The murderer, Kavon Jones was sentenced to 32 years in prison which is very little consolation to us as it will not bring back our son.

We pray that God gives you the strength to go through this ordeal and that at some point you find some peace and consolation of your loved one.

We are praying for you.

Sincerely,

Dion & Robin Miles, Sr.

[mooky]

Im gonna miss ya J-Roc, rest in peace

[TOrozco]

To Anita, Jamiel Sr. and my little friend Thomas my prayers are with you. Anita you are a great mother and friend stay strong. Jamiel Sr. you are an awesome dad and I pray that you stay strong and do the exact same thing for Thomas, he is your second chance. I wish all men would step up to the plate like yourself, congratulations on a job well done. God has a plan for all of us and you lived up to your end of the deal with Jamiel Jr. Thomas, I am just like you, I lost my only brother to Leukemia many years ago and he was my hero. I Love all of you and take care.

[Hyacinth McLeod]

Dear Jamiel Shaw Sr.,
Please know that your family has my condolences for the loss of your son. I have lost a son also and I do know the feeling. I am affiliated with an organization that is putting on a Father's Day event and it would be our absolute pleasure to honor you at our event. Please contact me at 11102 Summertime Lane Culver City, California 90230. My contact numbers are (310) 839-6636 (home), (310) 591-7807 (cell). Thank you, I love you, and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Hyacinth McLeod

[janet love]

THIS IS A STORY THAT HAD TO DO WITH A GANG ISSUE NOT WITH RACE, AND ALL THE MEDIA AND PEOPLE ARE MAKING IT SEEM LIKE IF IT WAS A BLACK VS HISPANICS THING , WHY IS IT THAT EVERYTIME A HISPANIC KILLS A BLACK ITS A HATE CRIME BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN ITS THE OTHER WAY AROUND. ALL THESE BLACKS THINK THEY ARE VICTIMS NAH SO ARE WE WHEN UR RACE DOES THE SAME TO US.

[CAROL ZANDERS]

TO ANITA,
MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU DEAR SISTER IN CHRIST. I'M CHOKED UP WITH SADNESS KNOWING THAT I'VE FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOU IN IRAQ WITH 25H BSB (SBCT). MAY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER COMFORT YOU DURING YOUR TIIME OF BEREAVEMENT. KEEP YOUR TRUST IN GOD MY SISTER!I
CSZANDERS

[waccy]

This is a very sad situation here. I have read many of the comments, and I have to say as a black male living in Los Angeles that the latino gang members and black gang members have different perceptions on black and brown violence. Now I dont know what this young man was wearing or how he responded to the person that killed him, but the latino gang members have been committing violence towards any black males as direct hatred for the color of their skin, not because of a gang affiliation. That doesnt tend to be the case on the other side of the ledger. Black gangmembers usually are looking for latino gangmembers, and while innocent or non affiliated latinos may be hurt it usually is not an assault on the color of their skin. Gangs are ridiculous, but are inevitable in a society that was built on that very concept since the invasion of Europeans on America. It exists everywhere in some form or fashion. The solution is not to set out to abolish the gangs but to change the way they think and behave. As a society we must first embrace them in order to understand them, then we can begin to change their daily course of actions. There is no simple fix. Gang mentality is a result of a collection of social disfunction, not just boredom, testosterone, ineducation, or poverty. I grew up in one of the most violent gangs in Los Angeles but is located in an upper middle class neighborhood with good schools and community recreation, but many of us still ventured down that dead end road. If this trend of hate crimes continue we are destined for an era such as experienced by blacks in the south by white supremecist groups, but only a two way street, creating a cultural divide in one the most diverse cities in the world. This will begin to involve innocent men, women and children,as depicted in this article, but would also begin to recruit these same people as soldiers out of a perceived need to defend themselves. Trying to make change by force never works. It may temporarily put a cease to certain actions but will never resolve the issue that was initially at hand, causing it to return. As human beings we have to start teaching and believing awareness and preservation of mankind in order to be able to cope with the future of this world which will someday be extremely crowded with scores of people with differing views, ethics and beliefs.

[R. Aguilar]

My prayers go out to the Shaw family members and friends. It saddens me to see that this young man was shot to death without a reasonable explanation. I am an LA High alumni(class of '07) and I would actually see Jamiel Shaw(may his soul rest in peace) walking around school with his suit on the days of football games. He seemed like no harm to any other human being. The part in which shocked me completely was finding out Jamiel's alleged murderer, Pedro Espinoza. I have known Pedro Espinoza since I believe 2nd or 3rd grade. I have not heard anything about him since middle school and here I come to find that he is one of the suspects who has killed Jamiel. That really made me realize that it's a crazy world out here. The tension between different races has got to stop, even if this wasn't because of a racial issue, whatever the issue may have been, IT HAS TO STOP. We are killing our own people. I happen to be Hispanic and I don't believe that it's just Latinos killing blacks, it's vice versa aswell, let alone other ethnicites aswell, those whom don't even make it in the media. I am really hurt by this incident and I hope we see some change. Communites have to come together regardless of the color of our skin. May Jamiel Shaw Jr.'s soul rest in peace.
R.I.P Ur an Angel now watching over your family and friends

[FRIEND OF THE FAMILY]

* YOU CAN MAKE DONATIONS @ THE USC CREDIT UNION ON CAMPUS @ USC. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THEY ARE ACCEPTING DONATIONS.

[L.A. Native]

To the family of Jamiel Shaw my most sincere condolences. A tragedy that Jamiel's young and promising life was taken away from him by a bunch of thugs! I grew up in L.A. and gangs unfortunately have been a scourge on this city. But this issue is bigger than the police and the schools, it is not their responsibility to raise our children. It starts at home where parents need to teach their kids values and morals, otherwise the police and the justice system are just a futile bandaid on a rapidly growing wound. I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE REMARK MADE BY TONY BELOW - How ignorant to assume that because the Mayor is Hispanic that he only cares about his Hispanic constituents. That is about as stupid as assuming that former mayor Tom Bradley only cared about his Black constituents. Maybe it easy for you to forget that it was Black perps that killed a Hispanic man and his son in south central or that for years thugs (who happened to be Black) preyed on Hispanics and guess what there was no big media outcry against. Once you take race out of the equation you deal with the real issue of violent crime that has pervaded the community! This isn't about race, this is about thugs (whether they be brown, black, white or purple) who have no respect for humanity. Get real and be honest about the issues. It is an ugly fact that "racism" exists in every ethnic group. Let us try and change it! Try being part of the solution and not part of the problem. Instead of trying to unite the community and encourage them to stop violence you are polarizing along racial lines.

[Citizen of Los Angeles County]

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Shaw,

We are praying for you. Please know that you are on the minds of so many of us here in Los Angeles County, and across the world. I am so sorry for the loss of your son, Jamiel. He is described as a wonderful young man and I believe we all would have been blessed to have known your son.

To the citizens of the County of Los Angeles,

Please know that we are going to continue losing our children and innocent citizens until 'we' fix this problem. For far too long 'we' have depended on our local and national government to protect us from crime that is happening in our neighborhoods, the crime that 'our' children are committing. Are we afraid of our children? Unfortunately the answer seems to be yes. Honestly (sadly, but honestly), I am afraid of your children too. I am a black man and I am afraid of my own people at times. The idea that members of my own race will kill me because I have on a certain color or because of mistaken identity is all but to true today. The idea that members of the Hispanic race will kill me because I have on a certain color or because of mistaken identity is all but to true today too.

There is tension between Black and Latino citizens. However, I am not sure why. This tension is not only evident in the streets of Los Angeles; it is also evident in our workplace, in our grocery stores, in traffic, etc. There are Black citizens who are colorblind and there are Latino citizens who are colorblind. This tension can be found in the traditions of our cultures. It has evidently been passed down from generation to generation, family to family and parent to parent. How do we rid our communities of this small amount of hatred towards each other that is causing so much anger, pain and the loss of our loved ones? Our government can arrest us for the crimes we commit, but the hate crimes that took young Jamiel’s life will only cease when we change our minds and begin to respect each other. The LAPD, Sheriff’s Department, Mayor or Governor can not accomplish this. It will have to be done by us.

PS – If gang violence is not considered a hate crime then
someone please explain to me what a hate crime
is. Why is murder considered a hate crime only
when the person who kills the other is of a different
ethnicity? GANG VIOLENCE ANYWHERE IS
HATRED!

[Universal LOVE]

The words to this song have so much truth, especially these days.

“We Gotta Have Peace” - Curtis Mayfield

We got have peace
To keep the world alive
And war to cease.
We got to have joy,
True in our hearts
With strength we can’t destroy.

People please hear us (people please hear us)
Through our voice the world knows
There’s no choice.
We’re begging save the children
The little ones
Who just don’t understand
Give them a chance
To breed their young
And help purify the land

And the people in the neighborhood,
Who would if they only could,
Meet and shake the other’s hand,
Work together for the good of the land.
Give us all an equal chance,
It could be such a sweet romance.
And the soldiers who are dead and gone,
If only we could bring back one,
He’d say “We’ve got to have peace”
To keep the world alive
And war to cease

[Terry]

This brought back the murder of Robert Ballou also a football player at LA High back in 1972. I was in high school at the time and it was such a mind blower. Little did I know that I would marry and have 2 sons and they would experience the same incident, and I would have to help them cope and let alone try to explain the unexplainable. My prayers go out to the family.

[Roni-Louisville, KY]

To the family of Mr. Jamiel Shaw, Jr.

I seen his parents on the Today Show this morning and I was so touched by his story that it literally brought me to tears. I'm a mother of 3 boys and as a parent, you want them to out live you, not the other way around. For someone as young, bright, and gifted as Jamiel, my heart bleeds to hear about his life taken prematurely. However, as sad as it is, I have to give God all the Glory, for he has welcomed another angel back home to his house. Losing a life, especially someone as young as Jamiel hurts really bad, until you think about where he is. God is going to take care of this family. He predicted this was going to happen way before Jamiel took his first breath into this world. No we don't always like the way someone leaves this earth, especially in a violent way, but yet when God has control, we know we are going to be okay.

We need to pray for the individuals who took a part in this death. Whenever there's a violent death, we want to retaliate against the other individuals but God says vengenance is mine. Their souls will forever live in hell and burn if they don't seek God's face and ask for forgiveness.

I live n Louisville, KY where violence is the same as it is in California. I personally lost my brother and close friends to violent crimes, even the death of a young lady I use to mentor in high school. She too as Jamiel was, young, gifted, bright, full of opportunity, and black. I'm just hoping that each of us on this earth turn to God to handle our battles instead of weapons and force, then maybe, we will learn to live as God wanted us to.

God Bless

[JUST YOUR AVERAGE JOSE]

HOW MANY BLACK GANGS HAVENT KILLED INNOCENT HISPANIC TEENAGERS, INCLUDING MY BRO AND ALL OF SUDDEN IT HAPPENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHOE AND CALLING IT A RACE WAR AND NOW JUST BECAUSE THIS CASE BROUGHT SO MUCH MEDIA THEY WANNA HUMILIATE ALL HISPANICS, AND WHAT HAPPENDS TO ALL THE OTHER UNSOLVE MURDER CASES???

[Jo]

My deepest sympathy to the Shaw family for the loss of their son. This story touched me so much. For one thing Mrs. Shaw on her second tour of duty in Iraq, had to come home to bury her son because of a low life gang banger taking away her precious child. I'm so disgusted by all these innocent lives being taken and it just goes on year after year. Do we have any leaders in this country anymore? If so, why isn't something done to irradicate this problem. What happened to simply having respect for one another?

[the whole story?]

While browsing through Myspace.com I ran across this kids webpage.... seems to me he had something to do with gangs since he talks all about Dogs and Crabs and Bloods and Crips all over it... its sad that he is gone and the family must be hurting so much... i feel for them... it doesn't alleviate the pain or validate anyones reasoning for such a selfish act, but it seems to me that the media isn't telling the whole story.. See for yourself...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=35139093

[jen]

Where can we donate to help this family?

[sam]

The person responsible, the person who killed Jamiel is named Pedro Espinoza, according to police.

[Larissa]

I can't stop thinking of what happned to this family! Is there anything we as a country can do ? I wish we could just get rid of all gang members forget their rights , people who live in these neighboorhoods have to live like they are in a war and it's not fair!

[Maureen]

I just stopped crying after reading and listening to the tragedy that has inflicted the Shaw family. What an amazing young man, son, brother, student, and athlete. CNN reported this on their website today and even though I am hundreds of miles away in Iowa, I feel your pain. Let me help you live in a safer environment, come live in Iowa, if not for you, then for your son.

[GS]

I just would really like to send my condolences out to the shaw family. Young man, big dreams and life tooken from him. I too lost my friend to gang violence even though he wasn't apart of any gang. He to appears in this blog and when I found out about what happened to jamiel I was about to go to work, but once I heard about what happened it really hit me in a hard place. Were fighting a war in are own city and even the police can't stop it. It's time for us as a city and a community to take stand because it could be your son or daughter next. I'm praying for the family and I wish I could of attended the funeral, but I have to work. Rest In Peace Jamiel and evn though I didn't know you it broke my heart to find out about your passing.

[Carolyn]

I just want to offer condolences to Jamiel's family. It is such an unbearable tragedy and my heart is breaking for you.

[KG]

First of all, God bless the shaw family my heart goes out to you. This is a scenario thats been repeated time and time again. I was born and raised here in LA and this kind of violence and senseless gang stuff has gone on for years. It was latino's who gunned down this young man but the gang culture and the gang violence has all of our prints on it. Black on Black or brown on brown, all of these scenarios exist becuase were too afraid to do anything about it. Lets stand together and save our communities.... Black and Brown have co-existed for years in LA. Why now is this happening?

[AT WAR]

This is a problem That has existed for some time now,It is now on the front line and will continue to happen as long as culture continues to change,Let's just face it Gangs aren't going any where it's like a plague that america does not want to fix.You take away Education and you build more prisons.You take away Jobs and you open more liquor stores.You say you have no more funding for after school programs,but you get over budgeted for this screwed up highway system.I am 38 years old and have seen many of my friends die in Gang warfare.I was 15 when my first homeboy from my hood was murdered and here I am 38 and still losing friends and young homies.How do we fix this do we give our kids guns and say the first mexican that approaches you
blow his head off or will I have to continue to lace up my chuCks and stay on the frontline and Battle this war that AMERIKA continues to Ignore.
WEST ADAMS

[tony]

I heard Jamiel’s father say on the news that this murder was a gang problem and not a brown/black racial problem. I commiserate with the Shaw family deeply but I disagree with the notion of just a gang thing. There is a segment of Hispanics that wants to efface Blacks from Southwestern United States. Let’s not be in denial! Hispanics are starting to murder blacks more frequently. Even Hispanic cops are killing blacks and Hispanic thugs are killing black cops. This segment is trying to engender some type of genocide. Police Chief Bratton is calling these murders anything but hate crimes. His explanation is a bit abstruse and entails more denial. The most conspicuous part of this is Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s taciturn behavior. I guess he is too busy campaigning for Hillary or something. Antonio’s silence speaks loud and clear. Paraphrasing Kanye West post Katrina: “Villaraigosa don’t care about black people.” Villaraigosa and Bratton’s peculiar styles are exacerbating the problem for blacks. This is an analogous to early 20th deep south when whites were lynching blacks unabated while authorities did nothing.

Unequivocally this is a small portion of the Hispanic segment which hates blacks. However we must still accurately identify that many Hispanics have entrenched bigotry with darker folks. This many times entails prejudice against their own darker culture. We can not allow gang excuses to obfuscate the racial element. Jamiel and the kid shot in Harbor City were innocent boys. One was a high school football star and the other a kindergartner. In closing, authorities led by Antonio Villaraigosa appear to be conniving true issue of innate racism in his culture. The answer is to denounce and reject Hispanic hate crimes toward blacks. Hypothetically if this is truly a gang problem then expunge gangs in California with draconian laws. For instance joining gangs should equate to 20 years imprisonment. I concur with Mrs. Shaw when she said gang members are terrorist.

[TeeWilla]

This has got to stop. They can not have my twenty-month old grandson. God help us please. Family God Bless each and every one of you this hurts me.

[KIMBERLY SMITH]

I HAVE A SIX AND THREE YRS OLD GRANDSONS IF IT IS THIS TERRIBLE NOW HOW WILL IT BE ONCE THEIR OLDER. WE AS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS MUST BEGIN TO PICK SIGNS WHEN WE SEE OUR CHILDREN GRASPING ONTO ANOTHER UNFAVORIBLE LIFESTYLE SUCH AS DRESSING DIFFRENTLY, WALKING DIFFRENTLY, CROWD OF FRIENDS AND THE CHOICE OF FRIENDS CHANGING THIS GANG VIOLENCE IS AMONG ALL OUR CHILDREN AFRO AMERICAN LATINOS ASIANS BUT US ADULTS NEED TO RECONIZE THE CHANGES. BECOME MORE INVOVLED IN OUR YOUTHS LIFE AND NOT AROUND THEIR LIFE MEANING VISITS THEIR SCHOOLS, SEE WHAT TYPE OF WORK THEIR DOING, BE A PARTICIATE IN THEIR LIVES START LEARNING ABOUT OUR CHILDREN WHAT THEY LIKE INVOLVE OURSELVES IN GOING AND DOING THINGS WITH THEM.THIS GANG VIOLENCE IS AFFECTING ALL OUR LIVES AS A COMMUNITY AS A HUMAN RACE. AND IT MUST STOP. PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF MY GANDSONS COUSINS NEPHEWS FIENDS AND NIEGHBOR .

[Alan Curtis]

Guns are for the weak and the cowardly.

[Vida Donnevan]

Here is the burial information for Jamiel Shaw:

A public viewing will be held on Monday, March 10th at Inglewood Cemetery Mortuary, located at 3801 W Manchester Blvd., from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the West Angeles Cathedral located at 3600 Crenshaw Blvd.

Even though I did not know Jamiel, I was deeply moved by the story of this promising young man, and I plan on attending his funeral to show solidarity with his family.

My prayers are with the family. This city has a racial problem and a gang problem, and it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge the intersectionality.

http://www.dysfunctionaldiva.net

[Tiffany from Compton]

I want to clarify something I recently posted, the morning I read this story about Jamiel and the six year old that was shot in the head the article stated that he died, and he is still alive but on life support so let's continue to pray for him and
Jamiel's family. I understand that God's plan is greater that ours but it's the human side of me it doesn't make since that a mother buries their child..........

[Will]

why cant people be blind-
to the colors inside thier mind
black-white- yellow- red - or blue
does it matter ?when madness like this ensues?
so much anger, so much hate.........
this power to devastate
the lives of others whom you may not know or care
senseless tragedies, unspeakable caused despair
i ask myself why? people have to die in ways like this
is there something they missed?
for the differences we all share
why cant people learn
that this gang lifestyle is absurd
youth will always be youth
but that is not an excuse
my thoughts and prayers go out to this family
my thoughts and prayers call out for HUMANITY!

[buz]

If this black kid had been gunned down by two shaved headed white guys there would be major, major repercussions. If not huge riots then big time demonstrations with Jesse, Al Sarpton, the works. Am I wrong? But brown shooting down blacks and spray painting racist graffiti is "basically" accepted. Sure there will be a prayer vigil or two and a few articles in the paper but this weekend the cycle will continue without missing a beat. I do not understand the double standard.

[rene lara]

1st my deepest condolences for there family and friends of the young man who life was taken i have been threw similar pain may he live in eternal peace, but to the ignorant person who typed that all there will be to grow up is killers your very wrong for typing that , and in fact this sensless racial killing does have to cease i walkt that walk of street life and frm deep experince we all got to stop all street violance brown on brown and black on black non of us grew up with a silver spoon in r mouth, again peace and very sorry to his loved 1s, typed by a brown mind.. peace

[David Grigsby]

Tonight marks 3 weeks since we lost our Emily. The post I wrote the other night was done at approx. 2am my wife and I still haven't figured out how to get a good night sleep. I grew up in Pacoima back in the 60's moving to Valencia in 1971, and finally up to the Antelope Valley in 1986. Emily was so full of life and had a bright future ahead of her. All this violence is useless and pointless. I wish they would start up the draft again at least we can get some of the people comitting these crimes off the streets and in the trenches where people shoot back. Why are our Brave young men dying so worthless low lifes can take the lives of innocent people.

[WONDERING]

how come when a suspected gang member, or even a known gang member murders someone, it is called gang related? this is so unfair to put this label on every one of these senseless killings of innocent people. call it what you want. we have our own little iraq here in los angeles and the gang members doing this is the new and improved terrorist cell (s). .black, brown or green.doesn't matter. something needs to be done.since the politicians knoe it's gang related, every time. get the gangs.get the military in here to do something!!! this is sad and scarry. god bless everyone!! pray daily!!

[re: Laterian's Uncle]

To the family of Jamiel Shaw, my deepest and heartfelt condolences for your loss.
To Laterian Tasby's uncle and family, I am so sorry that the perpetrator(s) of your nephew’s death are still at large and as yet have not been apprehended. I continuously pray for your family and that those at the party will still find the courage to come forward.
I am so upset about the continued and senseless deaths befalling our young Afro American men. It grieves my spirit to know that our young men are not safe anywhere! I pray that God will grant us favor, all of us, and turn this situation around.
What young Afro American and Latino males do not take into consideration is that your women cannot procreate without you, so what you are in essence doing is killing yourselves off as a race of people.

[concerned citizen]

First, to the family, I am so very sorry for your loss. I pray that the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds stayed on Jesus Christ.

Second, I want to say to the community that someone saw something; someone knows who did this; someone’s silence means they acquiesce and agree with what the murderer did. By turning a blind eye, someone is allowing this person the physical freedom to commit more heinous and hurtful crimes.

Please. Please. Come forward and tell the law what you know. Chances are this person has told several others because of the false sense of bravado he feels in having taken this young man’s precious life.

This was a young man with a promising future that his parents and family mapped out for his life. His was a life that was centered in Christ and he is now with the Father receiving his rewards. This young man valued what matters: God, his parents, friends and himself. He was surrounded by those who had the wherewithal to point him in the right direction and prop him up, thus making the lurid life of gangs, drugs and fast money look just like what it is: a complete and total waste of life.

If you witnessed this incident, please go to the authorities anonymously. You are not snitching. You are being a concerned and caring human being; you are proving to yourself and others that you think highly of life, yourself and of the giver of life.

In a few weeks, we will be celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. I pray that the Lord will move in the heart of all who witnessed this incident and that they will be fully persuaded that what God has promised, He is able to perform.

To the family: may blessings and peace surround you as you move forward in spirit and in truth.

[K Jenkins]

To the Shaw Family, stay strong and I'm sorry for your loss. I grew up in LA myself, and have experienced the deaths of many freinds due to senseless violence. I consider myself lucky to be alive, because I realized at the age of 21 I had to get out of LA. Now in my mid 30's. LA is not the place for young black people to grow up. It's ridiculous that the gov. is doing nothing to combat these gangs since the police seem pretty much powerless. There is no other way, but get your children to safer enviornments. It's ridiculous, for us to have to live like this.

[K Jenkins]

To the Shaw Family, stay strong and I'm sorry for your loss. I grew up in LA myself, and have experienced the deaths of many freinds due to senseless violence. I consider myself lucky to be alive, because I realized at the age of 21 I had to get out of LA. Now in my mid 30's. LA is not the place for young black people to grow up. It's ridiculous that the gov. is doing nothing to combat these gangs since the police seem pretty much powerless. There is no other way, but get your children to safer enviornments. It's ridiculous, for us to have to live like this.

[Universal Love]

My prayers go out to his family.

It just makes me UPSET and ANGRY about all the killings that have been going around for the past couple of months. Latinos killing blacks. vice versa.. This has GOT TO STOP!!!! We need a movement of unity to stop the violence. I personally feel that "they" don't care what happens in our communities. I work in the Beverly Hills area and one day I was getting out of work. There were about 5 police cars and 2 motorcycle cops in the alley to remove a homeless person who was just sleeping by the park. Does that make sense??? Where I live we are used to seeing homeless people walking around, graffiti on the walls and thugs walking the streets intimidating people who are minding their own business trying to do something with their lifes.

I'm a Latina and my husband happens to be black. We are constantly getting dirty looks from both sides. WHY?
I believe as minorities living in L.A. in the "US" for that matter we should come together as one and not hate eachother for being a few shades darker or lighter.

The violence has got to STOP now!! I

[Stephanie]

To the family of Jamiel Shaw, I am so sorry for your lost. May the Lord be with you and give you strength and peace.

[A. Smith]

I just keep asking why? I don't know Jamiel or his family, but I feel a fraction of their pain. I cried when I saw the story on the news. Life seems to have little or no value anymore, especially the life of a Black male. We have become prisoners in our own neighborhood; in our own homes. My husband and I are afraid to drive through certain neighborhoods at certain times of the day. What kind of quality of life is this when you are scared to walk down the street on your own block? To the Shaw family: My family will continue to pray for your deliverance from this painful circumstance. Find your strength in the Lord.

[a concern mother]

First off my condolences goes to the parents, family and friends, I know it's hard to lose someone especially such a inocent life but God will take care of you. I have a young son myself and it scares me that even thou he is not into all the bad things in life like gang banging and he is into sports that someone will have the nerve to just take that away. I pray for you and your family and our streets that God will take care of us all and make this world somewhere special to live. Keep your head up and continue to keep God first.

[captainjohnboyd]

I don't think the police are telling the full story about this one......

It's not racial at all. It's a gang thing. It just so happens one of the gangs is black, and the other hispanic.

[David Grigsby]

My heart goes out to you, my precious Little Princess Emily Grigsby was murdered on 2/15 after she exiting the car she was riding in may it to a small party of friends who graduated from Quartz Hill High School in the Antelope Valley. She was texting a girlfriend that night that she was nervous because she had never been that far away from home to a party, and it was just a small party of kids who graduated in 2005 - 2007. One of the kids lived there with his great grandmother and was going to college at UCLA or USC. My baby was a 19 year old preschool teacher and was carrying her Hello Kitty purse that my wife got her for Valentine Day. She grew up in a very rural area 75 miles from where she died, and she did not desreve to have her short beautiful life end this way. I have told my girls for years that even with they are 80 years old they will still Daddy's lLittle Princesses.

[Tony]

First, to the family of this young man, may God bless you and give you all the strength and support you need with this terrible loss. This doesn't sound like a racially motivated act but just more stupid gang violence. I think they would have shot him no matter what color he was.
they are heartless and and lack souls. Gangs are truly the cancer of all good societies. I wish for the gangs and especially the gang leaders all the worst that life has to offer.

[jo]

I live in Arizona and we do have some gang killings, but nothing like LA. Something extreme has to happen to stop all this madness. How idiotic to shoot someone because their skin color is different or they don't belong to your gang. Where are the parents of these gang bangers and why don't they have any control of their damn kids. If I were a black teenager I would be scared to death to live in LA today. How sad.

[Mitzi Parker]

I'm praying for this family. I don't reside in Los Angeles but I grew up there and it makes me sick/sad to read when another life it taking because of racial violence.

[Laterian's Uncle]

I was first told of this story by my wife because it hit very close to home and later heard the story on the news for myself. I would like to express our condolences to Jameil's family and know by experience that there are no words that can begin to take away the pain that I know you are feeling. My nephew, whom I raised, Laterian Tasby was gunned down in a similar manner on October 26th 2007. He too played football as well as basketball and had a bright future ahead of himself. I was deployed in Iraq at the time as was Jameil's mother. I am deeply sorry for your loss and hope that your sons killers are brought to justice.

[KWinn]

To the family and friends of this obviously gifted young man my prayers go out to you. May those responsible for this senseless death be bought to justice soon. This is just another example of people having no conscience and it's destroying the Nation.

[Star]

It's very sad to hear so many shooting and innocent people get killed daily. No matter what race people are or color, no one be killed just because a SO CALLED GANGSTER OR WANNA BE THUG CAN FEEL THE POWER TO DO SO. I don't live in L.A but I read the news daily it breaks my heart to see how many get killed.

I stick to having GANGSTER BE SENT TO THE WAR. Then they can really use their skills they believe they have...

I pray for the family to get through this very hard time. Very sad to see a young man killed by non-sense.

R.I.P Jamiel Shaw JR,.

[Cecília Vencovsky Penha]

I am a Brasilian, resident of São Paulo. Unhappily losses as life of that young Jamiel cannot be described with words. To destroy a life that just began. To impede, to violates a youth's rights that he wanted to live, to grow, to love, to still be loved plus, to do more friends, to do plans, to accomplish them further on, to know the woman of his life, to ask her in marriage, to have a son, to cry in the sad moments and mainly in the happy moments, to thank to God everyday for your family, your life. Those dreams and many others were pulled of this young boy and of your family. As we spoke here in my earth, that God comforts the heart of you family and friends and that illuminates the competent policemen in the resolution of this cruelty.
To read and to think..
"The Lord is my shepherd, anything I will lack...
..Although I walk for the it is worth of the shade of the death, I won't fear any badly, because you are with me."
(Psalm 23)
God blesses all the relatives and be in Peace.

[Tiffany from Compton]

I can only dream of having a son as beautiful (and handsome too)as this mother has. As a black woman it makes me think should I save myself the stress, pain, and grief of having any more kids because all I ever wanted was a son. But I cant bear just the thought of losing a child. It doesn't matter if they are 17 or 6 years old!!!! We have two sisters in a matter of 3 days (BY THE WAY, THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT MADE IT TO THE NEWS!!!)that have to bury their children whom died because of the color of their skin. Jamiel's mother was leading by example she is off serving a war and here it is one in her own front yard that killed HER child!! Can you imagine what she must feel? Because I can't!
Something has to be done! I don't care what color you are if you ever birthed a child or have the desire to these stories are heart wrenching at the thought of if it was your child. I dont know what needs to be done or even where to start....but I know if we can't do anything else we CAN pray and support these sisters

Jill/Rueben can you post the story about the 6 year old black boy that was shot in the head and killed yesterday?
Thanks

To anyone who has the info with the account info for Jamiel can you please post it because I would like to contribute to his fund.

[PACO]

Such a Great Loss for everyone whO ever met this youngman, who had a great future TAKEN away from him, before he could show the world who and what he would become. They SHOULD start making the PARENTS of these so called lowlifes RESPONSIBLE, for everything they have done , when they are ARRESTED and CONVICTED, the PARENTS are RESPONSIBLE for these 'kids" ACTIONS, I think that if the "Person" responsible for these "Deaths" are under 18, that the SO CALLED PARENTS ALSO BE CONVICTED IN SOMEWAY. I DON'T CARE IF THEY HAVE MORE OF THIS "SCUM" AT HOME, ALL THEY WILL GROW UP TO BE ARE "KILLERS"

This young mans Parents are responsible for his "Great Upbringing", yet now they are now left to bury "all their Love and Hard Work" many years too soon. I don't know this young man, but I applaud him and all that were in his life that brought him to such "GREATNESS" IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. HOLD PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE, FOR WHAT THEY BROUGHT INTO THIS WORLD. AND START NOW. In this young gentlemans HONOR.

[canitbe]

I pray for this family for strength, hope and comfort.

Please, if anyone has knowledge of the people responsible, tell the police so that these hateful men will not be free to do this again, ever.

[sandra mathews]

I can very well relate with you on this issue because I had a nephew by the name of Antwan Cole who was gun down Feb 8th on 135th st and main because of his color. He was standing at the bus stop at 11:23Ppm , when a car went latinos in it drove up to him and shot him multiple times, he was just getting of work, you can read up on him on this site under ANTWAN COLE, just stroll down until you see his name, may God bless and be with you all............s.cole

[Ariana Aguilera]

My only question is, when is all the gang violence going to stop? Seems that now more than before we hear about crimes being committed more often. From what I heard in the news, Jamiel Shaw Jr. was a hard working, caring person. Nobody deserves to have a death like this in which they are killed, for no good reason. Although I might not live in a place where there is as much violence as there is in other places, I still don't feel safe walking alone anywhere. Anything can happen, and like they say you can be at the right place at the wrong time, or be at the wrong place at the right time. I don't feel too safe knowing that there is violence all around us, whether we're able to see it or not. The killings of innocent people have to stop asap!

[S]

To the family and friends of Jamiel, I am so sorry for your loss. This story breaks my heart..I feel as if I have known this young man all his life. I pray that your family will find comfort in knowing that God will bring these ruthless murderers to justice. RIP Jamiel

[leevern03]

This breaks my heart and I dont even know this family. But as a mother of a 17 year old son. I am constantly praying for his safety. One can never know when tragedy will strike, but you are never ready for it and it totally turns your world upside down. My prayer is that the family will draw closer to Jesus and allow him to comfort you all in this very difficult time. We dont know when a loved one is going to leave us but the beauty in this is that He was a fine young man that had made his family proud. And you can thank God for that. Your memories will be ones that you will smile about. And last but not least. Know who really is control of all our lives and if you dont know him get to know him, I is imperative to be one of His (Jesus). He loves you. and is able to see you there.

[Ray]

This kind of senseless violence makes me worry about the future for my own 10 year old son. We need to get the guns off the streets. My heart aches for this family. We black and brown people must renounce violence against each other.

[Sophia Craig]

I am so, so sorry to hear about the senseless murder of this fine young man. I myself have 2 sons who are 17 and 18 and it would absolutely devastate me if they were to lose their lives this way. I will keep his family in my prayers, and hope that they turn to God for comfort in their grief.

[Evette]

I am in Colorado and read this blog frequently. Today I cannot hold back the tears. I am so sorry for your loss. I am a mother of 4 teenage boys and I cannot begin to comprehend your grief. Please know that your family is in my prayers and that our Good God never fails us. Call out to him now in your time of need and let him give you strength. God Bless You.

[shelia]

I have a son 18 years old and when it was time for high school i moved him away to Arizona, so that he could live his life like a kid should. I don't care how we raise our kids we cannot protect them from the streets. we can teach them to do the right thing, but the parent who did not teach there kid can come and destroy somebody else family that is trying to do the right thing. my heart goes out to the family, I could not even begin to feel what they are going through. GOD BLESS AND BE STRONG

[AGordon]

In a city with so many murders, this one really stands out. The sheer pointless and racist nature of the act against such a promising and upstanding member of the community has destroyed my faith in this city's ability to maintain law and order. Many young people put themselves in dangerous situations by who they hang out with and by being out at all hours. Jamiel was coming home from the Beverly Center at 8:30 on a Sunday night to a relatively low-crime neighborhood. When is it going to stop? How many more innocent children have to die in the streets? My thoughts go out to the family and friends of Jamiel Shaw...may he Rest In Peace.

[Vivid]

When will this type of violence end? Senseless racial murders. I'm a tax paying citizen with two young boys and I hope this type of stuff never crosses my family.

[blessed beauty]

my heart goes out to this young mans family I know how it feels to lose someone to a senseless act of violence I pray all the time for us to stick together someone has to break this cycle of race issues gang issues we all have to live here so we might as well learn to love and respect each other

[Joanna]

This is only two streets from my house. And last night there was another shooting...a month ago, a rape. The recent gang activity has turned what was a family neighborhood into a place where no one walks on the streets.

[DK]

I cannot begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am for the loss of such a special young man.

[ASterling]

My thoughts and prayers are with Jamiel's family and friends. I am stunned by the other young people who have been killed. When will the violence end?

http://asterling.typepad.com/incipit_vita_nova/2008/03/jamiel-our-hear.html

[John]

Another act of racial violence. 17 and get shot for being black.The second time in a month where a black football star is gunned downed for nothing.something nedds to change

[Jordan Halsey]

I am so sorry for this senseless act and give his family all my love; I wish you the best in the future and hope hat some how something good comes from this for you.