Jackson Free Press

A recent armed robbery and shooting in Fondren has some area residents up in arms. A community meeting, advertised on Facebook as "Take Back Our Neighborhoods," is scheduled for 6 p.m. today at Sneaky Beans coffee shop on North State Street.

"All we're trying to do is get the people out there involved," said Fondren resident Robert Mann, one of the event's organizers. "All I'm trying to do is to get some community awareness up."

Mann said that his house has been broken into twice, once in November and again in December. A Jackson native, he moved back to the city from Tucson, Ariz., nine months ago. He admits that he has been unfamiliar with some crime-prevention programs, such as the Jackson Police Department's monthly COPS (Community-Oriented Policing) meetings.

In the original Facebook invitation for tonight's meeting, Mann referred to the "West Fondren" neighborhood as a "war zone," a term that he now regrets using.

"You jump on Facebook and start typing the first thing," Mann said. "I didn't mean it. It got people's attention, but my intention was to do it in a good way."

Mann has since removed the "war zone" reference, and the invitation now describes the meeting's goals as "teaching ways to defend your self and home" and "coming up with ways to communicate with each other when any violence is happening."

The catalyst for the meeting was a Feb. 23 armed robbery and shooting at the corner of Northview and Dunbar streets. JPD Assistant Chief Lee Vance said today that the victim, who works at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, was walking home from work around 7 p.m. when two men approached him. The men, whom he could only describe as two black males, hit him in the head with a gun and shot him in the right thigh.

While serious, last week's incident was still relatively rare for the Fondren area, Vance said.

"When you have an incident like this, one is too many," Vance said. "Obviously, we're very concerned any time anyone gets shot and robbed anywhere. On the other hand, if you look at the crime picture in that part of the city, Precinct 4, it's been the lowest as far as particular crime statistics are concerned of all of our precincts. And it's been like that for the last two years."

JPD crime statistics from the week of Feb. 15-21, the most recent available, show 11 aggravated assaults and 24 armed robberies this year in Precinct 4. Both figures represent increases over last year's figures, but the precinct, which includes Fondren as well as Belhaven and most of Northeast Jackson, still has the second-lowest numbers in either category of any of the city's four precincts. Last year, Precinct 4 had the lowest crime numbers in the city across all categories, which themselves represented a decrease from the precinct's 2008 numbers.

Local businessman and musician Brad "Kamikaze" Franklin, who lives in the Fondren neighborhood near the site of the Feb. 23 shooting, said that the heated rhetoric surrounding the community meeting irked him.

"You don't use those words to describe your neighborhood because people are listening and reading," Franklin said. "If people talk about Fondren all the time, the fear-mongers and the people who use those type of words to describe Jackson are going to use that as ammunition to perpetuate that same myth."

Franklin added that he is familiar with the dangers of living in his neighborhood. His and his wife's cars were both broken into in one night.

"Those kind of things happen," Franklin said. "There's no way you can avoid it. It can happen anywhere, anybody that's roaming the streets, if they have two feet they can break into your trucks, your houses."

Vance said that the department welcomes any community efforts to organize around crime prevention.

"I think any time the community organizes itself is a good thing," Vance said. "We just want to see it all the time and not necessarily after an event happens. We certainly support any effort in the community to get organized. That's a deterrent to crime in itself."

Previous Comments

ID

156449

Comment

I got the invite from Josh Hailey today. Hope to see everyone there.

Author

RobbieR

Date

2010-03-02T14:45:19-06:00

ID

156450

Comment

Maybe Robert chose his words poorly in using "war-zone" but I'd be up in arms too if my house had been broken into twice and someone was robbed and shot near my house. I agree that sometimes Jackson gets unfairly portrayed as a crime-ridden city... but there are very few places within the city I'd walk around at night, even in Fondren (where I live). I don't think this is about fear-mongering. However, Kaze is right in that you're not going to be able to prevent all crime... My hope is that more development in Fondren/Downtown & elsewhere will create more pedestrian-friendly areas that in turn will enhance the perception of safety.

Author

rnpolen

Date

2010-03-02T15:03:19-06:00

ID

156464

Comment

"You don't use those words to describe your neighborhood because people are listening and reading," Franklin said. "If people talk about Fondren all the time, the fear-mongers and the people who use those type of words to describe Jackson are going to use that as ammunition to perpetuate that same myth." Franklin added that he is familiar with the dangers of living in his neighborhood. His and his wife's cars were both broken into in one night. "Those kind of things happen," Franklin said. "There's no way you can avoid it. It can happen anywhere, anybody that's roaming the streets, if they have two feet they can break into your trucks, your houses." -------------------------------------------------- When it is ACTUALLY happening, is it a "myth" that is being perpetuated, or the truth? You say there is no way to avoid it, but I bet if you lived in racist racial-profiling Madison, your car would proably be less likely to get broken into, so there is a way to avoid it. Move to Madison. There's probably lese people "roaming the streets." Drummin out :)

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-03-02T16:11:05-06:00

ID

156467

Comment

This was awful that this happened, as every crime is. But it saddens me anytime crime hysteria seems to break out. This reminds me of the Great Crime Scare of 2003, which helped put Frank Melton into office. We can have calm conversations about preventing crime and strengthening neighborhoods without "Taking back OUR neighborhood" rhetoric"; that's disturbing, and the same reason I don't participate in OURFondren -- as if Fondren belongs to any particular people. I'm glad to see Robert back off the "war zone" stuff -- and can understand him getting upset and going too far -- but the name of this really ought to be changed, too. What will happen, and has happened here before, is that the corporate media will see this as a chance to pounce on Jackson again to sell papers and get viewers, and we'll start hearing crap again like, "No need to spend money on Jackson until all the crime is gone." (circa 2003-2006). So, all, please take positive actions, and not let the rhetoric of fear take over. It never works. Ask criminal-justice experts about the problems with "crime perception" and how it actually creates a climate for more crime. We've been down this road before; let's navigate it carefully and intelligently this time.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-02T16:29:02-06:00

ID

156473

Comment

Yeah, "Taking back our neighborhood" does have a subtle undertone of "Taking back our neighborhood...from the black people." Also, I know I have posting incessantly the past 3 days. Is there a posting limit, or do I have free posting reign?

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-03-02T17:53:51-06:00

ID

156475

Comment

You can post as much as you want as long as you play respectfully.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-02T18:02:56-06:00

ID

156476

Comment

BTW, Kaze has a kick-a$$ column on this out tomorrow: A preview line: "What I won't participate in and what I will fight is hysteria." Amen, brother. I'm with you.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-02T18:04:20-06:00

ID

156485

Comment

Just returned from the meeting @ Sneaky Beans. Once again, I am glad that Robert backed off from the original rhetoric. What I am more interested in, however, is that it was a great meeting. Alot of people participated who had not done so previously (including myself) and we all learned alot about communicating with JPD and our neighbors. As far as I'm concerned the uproar over how Robert originally articulated the event is over. What is important is that more people may now get involved. I even learned about "C.O.P.S." which I (along with many others) had never heard of. With due respect to DrumminD, I think its a bit irresponsible to imply that Robert is being racist. I don't think you'd make that comment if you knew him.

Author

rnpolen

Date

2010-03-02T19:44:24-06:00

ID

156487

Comment

? weird my post didn't go through on 1st click I attended, and will say the meeting had a large turnout in both police/city presence and residents. (and yes, news x 2) I have a longer post for this thread, but I would rather do that over morning coffee :) maybe. I would also rather let the news air their stories also 1st ;)

Author

SELock

Date

2010-03-02T20:45:26-06:00

ID

156491

Comment

rnpolen, I'm kind of with Drummin. I doubt Robert meant anything racist, but his choices of words -- "our neighborhood" -- is as unfortunate as the name OurFondren. Words matter, and these are the kinds of words that are going to give a bad impression, whether they mean to or not, especially in Mississippi. After that drunk driver killed all those kids at the reservoir, I don't remember people turning out against drunks at the reservoir, declaring, "Take Back Our Neighborhood!" And please bear in mind that the risk is higher that Fondrenites will be hurt in a car accident than by random crime. Just to put it in perspective. It sounds like the meeting wasn't hysterical from these posts so far. I hope not. Regardless, betcha money TV news makes it look more hysterical than it was. They wouldn't know what to do if it wasn't scare people with constant crime reporting.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-02T21:35:08-06:00

ID

156492

Comment

All, it sounds like this effort has taken a more positive turn. The Facebook page is now renamed "Healing Our Neighborhoods." You can read more about what happened at the meeting there (and Ward should have an update tomorrow). THIS feels more like the next-generation Jackson I've grown to love so much. Makes me breathe easier to think the hysteria is subsiding.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-02T21:58:21-06:00

ID

156494

Comment

I attended the meeting to listen and found that it was very informative. Several of the city representatives gave their cell numbers and email addresses out for everyone to contact them more promptly and easily. Many people question or doubt JPD when they hear certain things or see something on tv, but listening to them speak about their tactics and programs that are put in place will make the questionable feel much better about the people in uniform that keep our streets safe. There is much more to police work than just patrolling the streets waiting on calls to come in, and JPD does a great job at responding to emergency calls. For those who wonder about who to call, contact JPD to report suspicious activity and 911 to report shots fired - and if you want the responding officer to come to your door and talk to you, then you must tell the dispatch that you want the officer to do so. Otherwise the officer will not come looking for you to talk to you. What makes Fondren great is the people, and the safety of the area is determined by the community in which we create. There is strength in numbers, and Fondren is fortunate to have a strong community that is determined to keep this neighborhood great. The best deterrent for crime is having people out in public - community activity, which Fondren does very well. At the meeting tonight, I found out tonight that Fondren Renaissance Foundation is working on renovating the park [exact name slips my mind currently] at the corner of Northview and Dunbar into an updated park that will be utilized more by the public, which is a good stride in working towards promoting community activity. Another great way to do this is to get out and walk. Get out and meet your neighbors. You picked this community to live in for a reason, and so did all of your neighbors - we all have a lot more in common than we have differences. Our response to any problem that may arise should be to be seen in the community. Stay hungry, stay foolish, and stay ProJack!

Author

chip

Date

2010-03-02T23:11:22-06:00

ID

156495

Comment

Fondren is an odd neighborhood. Some streets are perfectly OK and others are not; however, walking on North State Street should have been fine. Walking around at night is not a good idea. Within 10 blocks of Dunbar Street and even on Dunbar Street, there have been 25 murders over the last decade. The area has a history of fraudsters working the area (including one heavy-set young woman, collecting at various times money to bury her grandmother (so far it's up to three grandmothers), people living in wooded areas out of sight, hobo-style, vacant homes, burned homes, and various people casing private homes and when questioned claiming to be Jackson plain-clothes detectives! A Neighborhood Watch is a great idea. Having seen the Jackson Police Department in action on more than one occasion, I am a firm supporter of the Castle Doctrine.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-03T03:48:40-06:00

ID

156496

Comment

I found the comments about the updating of the park helpful as many people in the community use the park. Let me say this about JPD, I found that JPD improved greatly under the leadership of Sheriff McMillan, who is a fair-handed man and I hope that the improvements continue under the new leadership of our new Police Chief. I myself would not want to take anyone's life under the Castle Doctrine; however, if it were my life or their life, I would not hesitate.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-03T03:58:47-06:00

ID

156512

Comment

What I have found most interesting is that amongst all of the negative press Jackson receives from the CL and local news, I don't see anything Jackson is doing to counteract it. I see commercials promoting madison and flowood all the time but never Jackson. Downtown is doing wonderful things but you would be amazed by the number of people who are not aware. I work for the government and there are more people moving here from DC that are willing to give Jackson a chance than our own Mississippians. When they are stationed here for a period or are transfered I am always amazed by how interested they are in the downtown condos because of the wonderful things they are hearing about the growth in Jackson. They see it as a wonderful investment and i do too. My question to Pops (I want to call him Pops too because of what he is doing for Jackson), Ma Ladd(for staying strong for Jackson and reporting on positive changes) and Uncle Kaze (for staying firm on spreading the word and making a differnce) , what can we do as citizens to spread the word and help you fight? Also, why are we not running television commercials like the one I see on "It's Downtown". The key to growth is PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE right?

Author

Tell it!

Date

2010-03-04T08:53:16-06:00

ID

156514

Comment

If u cannot walk n the neighborhood @ nite (7PM) then u aren't free and the precinct is not safe. We need a certain measure of truth telling. Emotionally and rationally 1 does not feel good with a recent and personal crime on 'your street' or in 'your house'. It is not hysteria 2 say u don't feel safe or free 2 go outside ur residence. I did not hear the police say it was safe 2 go walking down Downing or Dunbar before 10PM on a weekday or weekend. The peace officers present if asked pointblank would probably say it was ok on the week but not on the weekend. Thats not a war zone but it ain't the green zone either.

Author

Aeroscout

Date

2010-03-04T09:53:16-06:00

ID

156522

Comment

Bladerdash AeroScout..I live in Said area and go outside frequently after 7, after 9, and come in sometimes after midnight. My wife walks (and will probably start back after the baby:-) my son walks the dog after 7 and even goes up to the park on the corner of Dunbar and Northview. When I walk out there are no bullets whizzing past my head, grenades going off, or bodies laying around..its quiet. sure at any moment someone could come by but that anywhere. it humors me when people say "I cant go out after 7" like if you just walk out your door you will be shot..LOL like hell you cant..how about you just do it. Because the truth is..the MAJORITY of the time 98% of the time you will walk through Fondren, Wst fondren, or Belhaven and be safe. that other 2% could happen to you there or in Eastover. Fate is Fate. Everyone everywhere needs to be more aware and watch yourself more closely When a person is walking through Eastover or anywhere in a gated community in 39211 are we saying they dont need to be aware and alert? Its hysteria indeed..in its worst form. Because it gives fodder to our neighboring detractors. Lets end it. Period. Fact is..these things can happen anywhere even in Madison...Generally folks should know signs and be alert when out in public period

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2010-03-04T12:52:56-06:00

ID

156523

Comment

And Tell it. Steps are being taken to do that as we speak! Its IS time we combat this propoganda with a little truth of our own!

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2010-03-04T12:53:53-06:00

ID

156526

Comment

U r black & im white...gangsters think im loaded with cash. Propaganda, perception...we r hammered with ideas n our highly commercial society. I got that. Rappers stock goes up when they do something foolish (u need 2 have a bad persona in the ghetto). If white guys packed weapons with the perceived cash we might NOT b perceived as easy targets. Truth is I asked a couple of blacks guys today if they felt safe after dark and they said no. This was on Windsor and Downing. Jackson itself has been a nexus of drug trafficking 4 30 yrs with a very corrupt former DA Ed Peters, Hawkins Field use during Iran-Contra, etc. C more history on this.

Author

Aeroscout

Date

2010-03-04T13:46:13-06:00

ID

156529

Comment

Folks, we've been counteracting the sensationalism of crimes for years now. It's up to each of you to speak up and out about it such as Kaze and I and so many others do when we hear people get hysterical about crime.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-04T15:13:39-06:00

ID

156531

Comment

Is it really worth the perception of immaturity to substitute b for be, r for are or numbers for words ? Does this bother anyone else or is my age showing?

Author

WMartin

Date

2010-03-04T15:59:16-06:00

ID

156532

Comment

I think your age is showing. I don't love it, either, but I'm guessing he's texting his comment. It doesn't show immaturity; it's just shows that the world often functions in shorthand these days.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-03-04T16:04:32-06:00

ID

156533

Comment

Yeah, you are probably right. When I read something like that I always picture in my mind a tween girl texting her bff. It sucks getting old.

Author

WMartin

Date

2010-03-04T16:11:13-06:00

ID

156535

Comment

Aeroscout, you may need to change the people you are hanging around. The perception that rappers need to be shot in order to earn credability has faded. That is not "in" anymore. My husband is responsible for urban marketing for an international company in the entertainment arena (really trying to avoid saying the name of the company). Nothing will get an entertainer or celebrity dumped faster these days than "that" type of press. At one time it was "good press" now it is just "played". Moving right along... In reality there are very few black guys that are walking around packing. If you know a lot that are then you may want to consider changing your crowd. I can't change the color of my skin (not that I would want to) no more than I can change the perception some people have of black people. However, if I can change the mind of one person in the way they view "people" then I have done something. HUMH.... Maybe we should all start there? My point Aeroscout, don't in to perceptions. We are the only black family in my subdivision. We could have moved in and held the "perception" that we were not wanted but we didn't. What we did do was go out and talk to our neighbors and let them get to know us. We decided that we were not going to allow the "perceptions" (their's and ours) to rule the way we lived. Question? Maybe that is what all of us need to do. Think about this, if we talked to our neighbors the way we did 20 years ago, can you imagine what effect that would have on crime.

Author

Tell it!

Date

2010-03-04T17:39:51-06:00

ID

156537

Comment

Don't hang out w/ anyone. U don't know who 2 trust. Way 2 many gangsters, hucksters, dealers, kingpins, plainsclothes, informants, federal agents, and political operatives in Jackson. I guess, I could trust my neighbors, TellIt. Jackson has a long cruel history of drug trafficking. Starsky Redd was the biggest drug king 2 go down. The feds informant (head of airport security) and the others were only intimated in the court testimony. The full facts never came out. The much earlier drug kings were named in the Kerry Report of the Iran Contra Senate investigation in the 80s with Jackson activity covering over a dozen pages. Poets was a main coke market. Maybe with Obama as president the very rich & powerful kings will b brought 2 justice. Jackson would benefit greatly if the real kings were tried and convicted.

Author

Aeroscout

Date

2010-03-04T22:13:13-06:00

ID

156538

Comment

I found that the Jackson Public Works Dept. was working on the park the next day so I was very appreciative of the support the city is giving. It is very quiet in the neighborhood and I do see people walking. You are correct that the man should not have been robbed at 7 p.m. (and shot) at Dunbar and N. State St. especially on a busy street and fairly close to a police station (the station has moved up a block or so). We seem to tolerate a "thug" mentality in black society in Jackson and quite frequently it is directed toward those quiet, good people just going about their business of earning a living like this man walking home from his job at the hospital.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-04T23:55:54-06:00

ID

156539

Comment

By the way, I want to add I have both Black and White neighbors and my household knows people up and down our street and around Fondren. Once you get to know people you can respect them. I watch their houses and they watch mine. Some young Black people here think that because I am White and old, that I was part of "the troubles." I did not live in the South and only moved to Mississippi in 1999. I am a retired librarian. The story about Hines County building a library, stocking it, hiring staff (all white) and all with tax dollars from both Black and White taxpayers of the county, state, and federal government and then not allowing any Black person to enter the building, check out a book, or even to do research made me want to vomit! My Black neighbor confirmed the story.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-05T00:14:00-06:00

ID

156544

Comment

Can't we all just get along?

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-03-05T14:04:04-06:00

ID

156545

Comment

Aeroscout, you are hangingwith the wrong crowd sweetie.

Author

Tell it!

Date

2010-03-05T14:04:45-06:00

ID

156549

Comment

Aeroscout sounds like Dale Gribble on King of the Hill.

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-03-05T16:24:14-06:00

ID

156551

Comment

Aeroscout is a retired librarian who depends on city buses and walking to get around so I need the streets to be safe. JATRAN does not run at night so again I need JPD to patrol and insure my safety. I am a buddhist so I don't pack (now). I considered it today but its $132 to apply for the concealed weapon application and $700 for a Smith & Wesson Airweight. I have to make a persuasive argument to my wife and to my superego to bite the bullet. You have to be willing to kill another human being to pack. Jackson is a tough city. Our nation's capitol is too. Our nation is fast becoming corrupt and bankrupt, a narco-state.

Author

Aeroscout

Date

2010-03-05T17:14:45-06:00

ID

156553

Comment

Aeroscout also talks about himself in the third-person. If you are buddhist, aren't you supposed to be unafraid of death or violence? If death is to come, it will come. You could also just carry a knife if you want to duel to the death. My SWAT knife only cost $30.

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-03-05T19:33:03-06:00

ID

156563

Comment

Packing a swat knife is illegal. Making fun of a guy for being afraid to walk at night, and wanting to protect himself is lame. Making it seem like he's the problem, when the elderly & med students are being robbed and shot in his neighborhood is oblivious.

Author

Mark Ellis

Date

2010-03-06T14:30:58-06:00

ID

156566

Comment

Interesting, Aeroscout is a Buddhist. I've known many Buddhists in my time. Part of my double-major in college was Philosophy, esp. Eastern religions. I am a Seventh-Day Adventist. Doing research on weapons permits two years ago, I found that Mississippi did not have any such law at that time. If you would spend $832 dollars for a gun & permit, why don't you purchase a scooter? I think that the only true way of separating the goats from the sheep is that as part of their sentence, the goats are banished from the community for a certain amount of time. Whatever it is, we cannot just send such people to jail because most of the time some of them have a better life in the jail than on the outside. Plus, the community is picking up their food, shelter, clothing, and medical costs. I would like to see people jailed gain education, jobs, skills, and structured lives to be better, productive people in the community. And those who cannot should be banished forever.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-06T18:34:23-06:00

ID

156567

Comment

The United States a narco-state? come-on! You ever been to Mexico? And it was the fault of the US anyway. They severely undercut their argument on drugs when they put Mary-Jane on the schedule. Ever been robbed by anyone on MJ? Shot by anyone on MJ? No, "hey man, you hungry, let's get some brownies!" It's the biggest crop in Medocino County, California. Tax it and make it legal and a number of problems would be solved. Corruption? yes. Places that do not have term limits are especially corrupt and the flow of the nastier illegal drugs and the money from them does tempt the weak and the unfortunate among us.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-06T18:49:42-06:00

ID

156568

Comment

Turtleread- Miss. has had a weapons permit since 1991, if you researched 2 yrs ago,and didn't find any ifo, you didn't look very hard. The Highway Patrol has a link on their website for the permit and info on it. Mark- a SWAT knife is not illegal to carry, only switch blades and larger knives like bowie knives are,but a small knife like a SWAT knife or other tactical knives are legal to carry.

Author

BubbaT

Date

2010-03-06T19:03:54-06:00

ID

156569

Comment

Thanks for the information on the weapons permit. I checked an arms group outside Mississippi and the Mississippi Code, but must have missed it. I found it odd that nothing was listed but may have been mislead by index issues.

Author

Turtleread

Date

2010-03-06T19:17:40-06:00

ID

156570

Comment

The Mississippi Code is very hard to navigate. LOL

Author

BubbaT

Date

2010-03-06T19:26:04-06:00

ID

156571

Comment

For the record, we were not teasing anyone for being afraid. It just bothers me sometimes when bloggers seem to only want to complain about a problem or contribute to what the surrrounding metro is saying instead of trying to uplift our community. I just wish for once that we would stand up for our city the way others do. The tongue is powerful, let's spread positive feedback in the mist of the negative. If 5% of Jacksonians did that can you imagine what a positive impact it would have on our city? It's so frustrating!

Author

Tell it!

Date

2010-03-07T07:09:13-06:00

ID

156572

Comment

Mark. I don't see anyone here "teasing" anyone. Ridiculous. And "AN" elderly person was attacked and "A" Med student was shot. Stop putting the plural on things to make it seem as if its some epidemic and its open season on med students. I was only commenting on the premise that if you walk out of your house after 7 in Fondren that you're ducking bullets and that there's thugs circling your driveway waiting to prey on you.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2010-03-07T18:17:08-06:00