| Dr. DAS |
What incentive is there to come forward when the police cannot protect those who do from the gangs and violence ubiquitous to these neighbourhoods? Discuss.
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Police Struggle To Penetrate Culture Of Silence During Shooting Investigation
Monday July 14, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff
Up to 150 people may have been in the immediate area of Saturday night's shooting near Morningside and Ellesmere but police are still frustratingly searching to find a witness who will talk. Their eyes may have been wide open to the disturbing spectacle of violence, but their mouths remain virtually glued shut by a stubborn, albeit self-preserving adherence to a strict street code that views "snitching" as an abhorrent offence punishable by the ominous threat of retribution.
The shooting took place between two apartment buildings at 80 Mornelle Court around 7pm, and the victim, a 22-year-old man, remains in hospital in critical condition after being hit several times in the torso.
Despite the abundance of witnesses, no one has come forth with any information, not even anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
"It's the stop snitching or however you want to call it. It's all tied in together," said Det. Larry Straver. "(They say) 'It's not my business.' Well, you know what? It is your business. It's everybody's business, because eventually it's going to hit home."
The shooting happened near a playground in broad daylight and when officers arrived at the scene they say they were greeted by a hostile crowd. It's an increasingly common attitude at crime scenes that concerns authorities.
Still, police are optimstic that they've forged a sense of trust with some community members, and they're hoping for a break in the case.
"We have a number of officers that work in this area and we're hoping that their relationships have worked in the past (and) that these people will reach out to those officers," notes Det. Shawn Mahoney.
Police have yet to recover the gun used in Saturday's shooting and they haven't even been able to put together a suspect description.
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