Cookout Shooting & CM Gray Lack of Own Accountability

​This is bull shit, the organizers followed other like block parties and nothing happened with them, with this event MPD not only knew about the  cook out they actually stood by while the crowd grew and allowed it to happen. Now grown adults irresponsibly made the adult decision to attend, including an off duty police officer enjoying her time off (praying for her recovery) putting other lives at risk but that was their decision. Those who didn’t want to risk anything stayed away. An event of which a community likely needed (however still should not have had) gathered like they had four other years prior and did what this community often does.

The organizers hosted what they expected to be a community gathering, providing food and beverages, they had no clue four (insert list of expletives) would decide to indiscriminately aim and fire 100 plus rounds at those attending taking the life of a father to a new born and injuring more than 20 others. How can you take the good intentions of a neighboorhood wanting to bust out of their homes (again not the smartest thing to do and yes against the Mayors orders let’s not forget her own police dept also disregarded it) and wish to punish them, have they not provided this activity for their neighbors the last four years successfully? Leave the organizers alone Mr Gray and find leadership that can know what to do or how to handle this kind of situation.

I wonder had the shooting not happened would you still be calling for this action? Let me ask, have you been down to the scene have you reached out to the young mans mother (a big no as of Wed night days after the loss of her sons life) and explained why our police department failed to do Anything? how about your accountability sir? If you are in tune with your ward why were you not over there insisting your police force take action? Before you start demanding decent (yet bad decision making) citizens have action taken against them why don’t you go door to door and help find who killed the father of that new born and son to a loving mother?

There are STILL FOUR gun holding criminals walking these streets and your worried about the people who held the event? I bet you they have dealt with enough punishment knowing that many lives were altered at their event and although no fault of theirs that real criminals infiltrated their cookout to cause harm to others You Mr. Councilman should have written and addressed outrage at the killers that still roam these streets of southeast DC your press release should include info about the reward for their capture instead you want to point your finger away from your face and to the face of folks who likely had good intentions yet since the police department looked the other way and since your voice was missing that day they continued like other years to provide (guys it was irresponsible) outlet likely much needed for the community.

You should take charge - gather MPD and the mayor together and insist an understanding be made how to handle these gatherings moving forward without jailing anyone yet working with MPD the community and ANC leaders to know what to do when events like this happen and not to just open your mouth when CNN reports on it open your mouth when it’s happening as it happens. Now where is your press release and strong words of action against those four shooters that’s what this press release should be about and the sad very sad loss of another Washingtonian a son and father of a new born.

Tom Donohue
Ward 8 Neighbor

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