A 73 year old crime hostage named Abraham Venson was recently charged with aggravated battery by shooting, for shooting a now deceased burglar who reached for his waistband, which in the inner city is a life threatening gesture indicating a hidden gun. Despite the low bond set, $10,000, it's troubling that a nearly 80 year old law abiding inner citizen, alerted by his alarm company to a break-in, stands charged with defending himself against burglars.
One of my favorite local crime reporters called the burglars " trespassers " in a September 29th, 2016 New Orleans Advocate front page story. If these burglars were walking across the victim's readily accessible front yard or drive way ( seen in the story photo ), then the term trespasser would be appropriate.
Since they tripped a silent alarm after breaking into the victims shed, they were burglars. Had the victim not been armed, these burglars could have added aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, manslaughter, or one of two degrees of murder to their charges. These are the high stakes facing local inner city hostages of crime, a fact not lost upon city council, NOPD and the Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office.
Urban safety advocates and concerned citizens in all zip codes must create safety with local government where hostages like Abraham Venson aren't victimized for stopping a threat holding communities captive that can't afford security patrols and can't gamble on slow police response. Lest we forget- directly across from his home 17 hostages were wounded in Bunny Friend Park, none by law abiding citizens like Abraham Venson.
He is a hostage who fought back, within what the law ( though not what local politics ) permits.
-Nadra Enzi aka Cap Black, Your UrbanSafetyist and SWS: Security Within Self Urban Fellowship founder. @nadraenzi on twitter.
#IUniteWithBlue Tour Creator.
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