Murder in the neighborhood
Saturday, Michael Zebuhr was senselessly gunned down by muggers in Uptown, not more than two blocks from where I live. Every death is a tragedy, but Michael's was especially so. He was a promising young man (I'm not much older that he was), a graduate student, and a visitor to our city. He was shot in front of his mother and sister after they had already complied with the mugger's demands.
Most killings in Minneapolis are the result of gang-on-gang violence (people in "high risk lifestyles" to use R.T. Rybak's unartful phrase) or tragic accidents, innocent people caught in the crossfire of that same gang violence. The premeditated slaughter of an innocent person is (thankfully) infrequent. And yet, here we are.
At Tuesday's CARAG meeting, the pain and anger was evident. People, including me, want action now. Crime in Uptown has been increasing. Robberies are up. Just a few weeks ago, my building was broken into. I don't want to feel unsafe in my own neighborhood. I want these killers caught and punished. I want more police patrols and better lighting to make the neighborhood safer. And it's time for a real debate about surveillance cameras in the area.
The number of police has dropped by about 100 officers (the city is hiring about 70 back now) because of Local Government Aid and federal funds have been cut. I want to see that funding restored, but with the no-taxes gang in charge, that's a tall order. Minneapolis is a net contributor to the state tax system, but we get screwed on LGA. Thanks a lot, Republicans.
But it's important to remember that many poorer neighborhoods have had the exact same reaction and have tried to get things done about it after every single brazen murder or accidental shooting death.
But they don't have the same political and economic power that Uptown does, so they get the shaft.
Now that we in Uptown have seen what it feels like up close, I think it's important to remember our neighbors up North and in South Minneapolis have been dealing with this for a long time, and make common cause with them. Together, we can make the city safer.
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If you want to help out Michael's family, a fund has been set up to pay for the medical expenses associated with his death: "Donations for the Michael Zebuhr Memorial Fund are being accepted at TCF Bank, 612 Washington Av. SE., or at any TCF Bank branch.... Cards and condolences can be sent care of the Zebuhr family to Poling-St. Clair Funeral Home, 95 S. Kanawha St., Buckhannon, WV 26201."
posted by Luke Francl @ 9:14 AM |
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13 Comments:
I know many people who have recently moved out of uptown because of the rise in crime. (Recently being past 2 years.)
Its gotten bad. But its still nowhere as bad as the rest of the city. Precinct 5 still has less violent crime as a trend than teh other 4.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/crime-statistics/codefor/
I agree that more police presense and incarcerations are the best ways to reduce crime. But its up to Minneapolis to pay for them, and when they do, shouldn't they be targeting high crime areas instead of the trendy ones?
I'm also wondering how cameras aren't warrentless surveillance.
-Censored
Mike,
We will always remember you and the spirit you brought to us. You touched us all, and you touched us so deeply. And, although I've only known you since January, I will admire you for a lifetime.
-- one of your professors
One way to fight back is to organize
regular block parties. Start with a list of everyone living on both sides of the street, with work and home phone numbers. Walk up and down the street, getting the names and numbers right while getting their consents to
a regular block party.
Circulate the list among the residents.
Then find some large dogs that need to go for a walk, and do so. Regularly.
You can't take back your street unless you use it.
Mike --
You don't know me, but I know you by reputation -- as a very bright, thoughtful young man who cared deeply about his country and all those affected by what its government was doing. I can't tell you how saddened I am that you are no longer with us. Please know you will not be forgotten.
You were curious; you discovered the truth for yourself; and then you stepped forward to tell others. Thank you for that.
Fellow Member, Scholars for 9/11 Truth
NOTE TO OTHERS: In honor of Mike, please visit www.st911.org. He was passionate about spreading the truth to save his country.
Mike --
You don't know me, but I know you by reputation -- as a very bright, thoughtful young man who cared deeply about his country and all those affected by what its government was doing. I can't tell you how saddened I am that you are no longer with us. Please know you will not be forgotten.
You were curious; you discovered the truth for yourself; and then you stepped forward to tell others. Thank you for that.
Fellow Member, Scholars for 9/11 Truth
NOTE TO OTHERS: In honor of Mike, please visit www.st911.org. Mike was passionate about spreading the truth to save his country.
Thanks for blogging about this. I only know about Mike through a friend, but he sounded like a great guy.
The killing is bizarre, makes no sense to me. Why would they do it?
I wish you luck in improving the neighborhood, but most of all I hope his killers are apprehended and brought to justice.
I have lived in NYC, Washington DC and now Atlanta (all with their share of violent crime) and have regularly read about murders or see stories about them on the local news. However, this murder strikes me as extremely odd. The criminals are only after a purse, get the purse and still decide to fire 2 bullets into the head of 1 of the 4 victims. Is it possible they thought he was the only one that could've identified them? I've never visited Minneapolis but it seems much less safe than the cities where I've lived.
Mike just happened to be one of the student members of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth.
http://www.st911.org/WhoAreWe.html
Please help Mike's work live on by visiting the website.
I agree with censored: cameras are warentless surveillance and also (were they implemented in Uptown) just a first step in creating some sort of posh virtually-gated community. "Come see the sights and buy stuff, but remember, the cameras are on."
I'm torn between invoking a sociological explanation for what happened (e.g. muggers gravitate to neighborhoods with money), and the usual asshole-with-a-gun explanation (which includes gang dares and situational ethics).
If the former, then maybe urban planning cognoscenti (including we brainiac bloggers) should focus on encouraging mixed-income neighborhoods (rather than inviting the hordes of condo developers and posh shoppes into Uptown). If the latter, then let's focus on finding Mike's killers, figuring out why they would do something so idiotic and rash, and then put 'em on trial.
Ok, I didn't know mike but i did check out the website scholars for 9/11 truth. Carlwies, are you kidding me?
I understand there are about 200 menbers. "controlled explosions"
"No plane parts at the pentagon"
"the government killed michael"
I know they don't like personal attacks on this site but i believe I have located possibly the dumbest 200 people on the planet.
Scott k
When one looks at the 9/11 events free of the myth that the goverment is here to help us, one will find that the alternative explaination of goverment complicity just makes more sense. We all see what our eyes want to see. Mr. Zebuhr was a scientist, and saw what makes sense. In respect for what this man stood for, look again with your eyes open.
As a warm up to open your mind, ask yourself why a third building on 9/11, building number 7, fell into it's own foot print even though it was not struck by a plane. Remember, this goverment tells lies to promote it's agenda, like those weapons of mass destruction we never found.
Michael,
I hardly knew you. But I see everyone around me and I know how much you were loved. I may have seen you twice in my life, and I wish I had been able to get to know you. I love you very much adn miss you every day.
- your cousin
I cannot stand ANY sort of murder in that it is USUALLY innocent people who are the victims.
How many people who are actually "BAD" and who actually create conditions for those to suffer; why is it that they are not killed? Why harass ANYONE who has never harmed another in their entire life? Why aren't the "bad asses" gettng theirs? Because we celebrate mean pricks every where. We think that this is attractive and we adore bad people and their tantrums and say; "oh, that is just their way".
WE allow bad behavior EVRY MINUTE OF OUR LIVES and guess what? No one really wants a neighborhood watch because they THINK that their neighborhood is just FINE for THEM.
The murder of innocents occur because the average person is too selfish or deliberately IGNORANT to intelligently get involved.
Murder occurs in every way and in many, many ways. We are too drunk and mean to see it because many of us practice this behavior in our own communities. We are too nosy, yet we do not want to truly get involved. Murder dies not happen out of a vacuum. Murder occurs when we do not pay attention to the obvious bad behavior around us and IT is AROUND us all. NO ONE IS SAFE AS they think. We want to scatter in out over priced gated cummunities and pretend that this only happens to other people. We are not careful or listen to wisdom or take precautions to care for others. The newest thing is that its a "YP and not a MP".
PHYSICIANS are murderers as well. They deny the sick just so that they will have power over them; especially if they find that they have lived in a certain life-style. THIS IS MURDER BY DENYING PEOPLE THEIR RIGHT TO REASONABLE HEALTH CARE.
Murder is also karmic no matter how you slice. One person stalks another and no one says a thing about it, no one care. People are free to hurt others more and more each day. If we do not watch our own everyday behaviors towards each other; this unfortunate harm will come back to us.
As far as Michael; who ever did this to him, it will come back to them and the others who ignored the symptoms and the causes of the person who did this to Michael. SOMEONE ignored something that could have saved his life in the first place. Some one was too lazy to report what ever it was that KNEW that this man's life was in danger. They (anyone) may have had nothing to do with the physical outcome, but some idiot parent or friend or who ever knew that their son or daughter was out to hurt this person. SOME ONE KNEW THIS and failed to prevent it.
Wake up people; murder is around us every day and murder is committed by the people who appear normal (not all murderers are minorities either). We are too dumb and we continue to blame the wrong people instead of looking at the obvious and not the TRUTH!
There is murder in racial hatred and many of us ALLOW it in how we treat one another. We allow it every day when we provoke one another. We cause it when we deny people of basic human needs and now we want to light candles and start vigils to erase what is left of that thing called a conscious.
I have tried to protect people in my community, and NO ONE gives a DAMN!!! Because it has not happened to THEM and MANY people are that way every day.
We ask the same damned dumb questions "Why?" Let's start at looking at how WE treat others in the work place, as patients, clients, and customers as family or as friends. Let us examine our OWN feigned ignorance about the reality of what is happening AROUND US EVERYDAY to so many innocent people.
I am so sorry for the death of this young man, however, SOCIETY causes the death of every innocent man, woman or child and we are so pathethic in who we choose and select to protect in this country by celebrating what we know to be WRONG and we perpetrate this behavior every day in the little nasty looks that we give to each other, the competitions, the jealousies, the hinderances and blocks that we create against each other to hinder another's life for the better.
Many people are murderers in their hearts and in their ways and this case is no different.
WE are the solution and we should know the "WHY" by now, and start doing what we are suppose to be doing.
Most everyday (non-innocents) are freaks and yet they get away with how they LOOK or by their nationality.
We are prejudice and cruel in our every day dealings with people and the sick thing is that we pretend that we do not know why any of the crime that we see happens every day.
It does not happen from "one day". It begins from many, many offenses and lies and deceit and hostility, the little things that we do to hurt others who are not looking.
We allow certain people to get away with murder because they are rich, cute, white or other and what happens is that EVERYONE gets hurt because we are so stupid as to just stop and stand up against ANY wrong whether it is verbal or in taking advantage of others or in being arrogant.
We all want to party and drink and do what we want. We all want to leave our doors open and pretend that this is fantasyland instead of seeing things as they are.
There are MILLIONS of innocent people killed every day for some foolish or egotistical reason and there is NO reason for this young man to be dead. NONE.
We are hurting each other in a thousand ways and we do not GET IT at all. We are too vain, too greedy, and too self-serving. I know the actions that I have taken and I know that I have tried to make every where that I have lived a SAFER place. But NO ONE cares and NO one wants to do their part.
I am damned angry and I am sick and tired of the WHYS. We know why but we do not care until it happens to us. We do not prevent it for each other; we are either too racist or too stupid and it will only GET WORSE.
WAKE UP DAMMIT!!!
did the accused killer confess? or was he found guilty by a jury or judge? how old was he? if he's a minor then probably won't spend any time to speak of in jail.
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