Two more killings rock San Bernardino
The homicide total now stands at 52, with two months to go. This looks like the highest rate of killings in San Bernardino since the early to mid 1990s, and the blood is being shed with considerably less fanfare than in 2005, when seemingly all talk in this city was about crime and how to stop it.
Also, crime statistics are up across the board over last year, with a few exceptions.
It seems like only a matter of time before Mayor Pat Morris and Chief Mike Billdt come under some pressure over what is a clear reversal of the encouraging progress of 2006.
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By Stacia Glenn and Melissa Pinion-Whitt
SAN BERNARDINO - Bullets cut down two men within 17 hours of each other, splintering at least one neighborhood and setting police on the trail of several suspected shooters.
No clues were offered Monday about who might have shot and killed Martin Canada Jr., 24, outside a Westside liquor store Sunday night.
In the other incident, police were combing the city for a black Toyota Camry seen driving down West Evans Street at 1 p.m. Monday with a gun muzzle sticking out a window.
At least one of nearly a dozen bullets struck 20-year-old Raymond Cole Jr. in the head as his two friends dashed inside a house and the car sped away.
The slayings are unrelated, police said, but the motive for both appears to be "lifestyle issues."
Canada, whom police said is a documented gang member, died at 11:10 p.m. Sunday while in surgery at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.
He was shot about 7:50 p.m. Sunday outside a liquor store in the 1000 block of West 14th Street.
Employees inside Sandy's Market at the corner of 14th Street and Massachusetts Avenue dashed outside after the gunshots ceased.
"There was a guy down in the street bleeding, and my worker gave him CPR because he's a nurse," said Hank Bun, owner of the store for 1 1/2 years.
The front of the market has a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Graffiti surrounds the figure, including several R.I.P. messages.
"It's a rough neighborhood," Bun said. "You expect that to happen once in a while."
People standing outside the store said they didn't know Canada.
The situation was much different in Cole's neighborhood, where carloads of crying friends and family crowded police lines Monday desperate for information.
Cole died Monday afternoon on a cement driveway in the 2100 block of West Evans Street as his sister grieved across the street. Several family members and friends held her up as she sobbed and slid to the ground screaming.
Cole was standing outside the salmon-colored house with two friends, one of whom is a parolee, when the Toyota crept slowly down the street, witnesses and police said.
"They all run, but our victim's not fast enough and he takes a round," said Lt. Scott Paterson.
No motive was established Monday, but police have been called to the home several times over the years. Police were unsure whether Cole had gang ties, but he has been convicted of robbery, according to San Bernardino County Superior Court records.
Anyone with information on Canada's shooting can call Detective William Flesher at (909) 384-5655 or the San Bernardino Police Department hot line at (909) 384-5656. Anyone with information on Cole's shooting can call (909) 384-5742.
When will the senseless killings stop?
When the Mayor of this city gets off his duff and hires the citizens of San Bernardino a new Police Chief.
Why advocate such a drastic step? The current Police Chief is not a unifying factor in the Police Department.
Wonder why one of San Bernardino’s finest is selling T-shirts mocking the dire situation of this city in the police department parking lot? It is because the rank and file of the San Bernardino Police Department do not see “eye to eye” with Chief Billdt. (If Chief Billdt was an effective leader this "swap meet" would NOT be allowed - maybe the profits should go to a burial fund for the families of the dead)
What about the lawsuits filed against Chief Billdt by his own officers? Things are not good at 710 N. D Street.
Anyone that watched the City Council Meeting last night got to see Chief Billdt in action when discussing the “vandalism” of a local business – an axe though the door, after receiving a threatening phone call for supporting a specific political candidate. His response was vague as usual.
Mayor Morris promotes youth diversion programs. Why doesn’t the city have a PAL (Police Activities League)? PAL is a PROVEN program, not one of these “make it up as we go along” type of programs that keep getting funded (and wasting our tax dollars). Mrs. McCammack has sat on the dais at city council meetings and told us how a PAL program was instrumental in her youth yet nothing is done to start a proven youth diversion program that would also strengthen ties between our youth and our police officers. Why? Because the SBPD Officers will not participate in this program. Why is that? They do not support the Police Chief.
It is time to cut the fat in this city and the first step is to replace the Police Chief. His leadership has proven to be ineffective. The violent crime statistics in this city are higher than they were in 2006 and we STILL HAVE TWO MONTHS TO GO.
To The Mayor and Police Chief
I have read that you currently have a group of new police recruits at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy. I would like to congratulate you for finally hearing the will of the citizens of San Bernardino. However, I must ask a few questions please.
1. How long will it take for these “students” to become active productive members of the SBPD where they can act alone in the face of the day-to-day activities within SB?
2. As crime is now on the upswing and murder approaching all time levels of unacceptable highs, what is being done NOW to stem this trend?
3. Does your focus continue to be just on the 16 block area of Operation Phoenix while the remainder of the City plummets into the abyss?
4. Where does the buck stop in terms of crime prevention OR, who is responsible and accountable for returning SB to a place where every resident feels safe, day or night, regardless of location? Does it stop with the elected leadership or the appointed leadership?
5. If I were at war, or going to war, I would NOT go to pilot training to get the needed pilots to fight and win; I would seek trained, experienced/skilled pilots to lead the fight. Replacements do little good without experience. Have you truly tried to attract police officers that are trained and ready for the task of restoring SB to a safe place to live? Have you offered a better carrot for those experts in crime prevention and fighting to consider? I am sure you of all people know the cost of crime and its prevention comes at a price that is more times than not very high. As with anything, you get what you pay for.
6. When can we the citizens expect to see a return on the investments we have made? Those investments have been as you requested, monetarily (Measure Z) and in leadership (Mayor and his select staff of leaders). When will this ship of despair be corrected in its course of direction for restoring SB to America’s City? Can we expect positive measurable progress under your watch?
The citizens of SB don’t need to hear more false tributes of grandeur from outsiders; we need to SEE a dramatic drop in Criminal Homicide, in Forcible Rape, in Aggravated Assaults, in Burglary, and in Theft. These crimes were all increased over the same period (January - September) in year 2006. I am sure you both are aware of this increase in crime within our City. Least you forget the citizens (voters) are also aware and expect much better or more from you both… without excuses!