Wednesday, November 02, 2005

5th shooting on Morecambe - please pray



Since July of this year there have been 5 shootings on the street where our youth come from - Morecambe gate. One was a robbery, one was a scuffle for jewelery, one was random. This past week however things intensified, so I wanted to ask everyone please pray for this area and the people who are suffering at this time. Pray for our youth who are affected by this, that they would turn to the Lord for comfort.

First, last Tuesday, Oct 25 - article here
Morecambe Gate, near Victoria Park and Finch, just after 11 o'clock last night. A 22-year-old man who's apparently known to police was shot in the upper torso. He was reportedly taken to hospital by a friend, and is being treated at Scarborough Grace for non-life-threatening injuries.
Then on Monday night a man was shot and killed (possibly in retaliation) just next door to where one of our youth lives. I was there Thursday, Friday, Saturday and picked the guys up for church Sunday. Pray for these guys who are growing up seeing shootings like this:

CBC short article, AM 640 article, Scarborough Mirror article:
Father of two shot at own front door, ANDREW PALAMARCHUK, Nov. 2, 2005

A Scarborough father of two young children was gunned down early yesterday at a townhouse at 51 Morecambe Gate in the Finch and Victoria Park avenues area. Emergency crews rushed to the home around 2:30 a.m. and located the lifeless body of a man in his 20s with gunshot wounds to the face and chest. Police didn't release the name of the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Local residents identified the victim as Hainsley McLean, who goes by the nicknames Country and Cracker.

A woman who didn't give her name suggested there's a "turf war" between residents of a complex nicknamed "Up Top" on Chester Le Boulevard north of Morecambe Gate and residents of the Morecambe Gate complex, which is also known as "Down Bottom." She said she's now scared to open her door because "you don't know who's going to get it next." Police said two males wearing dark clothing were seen fleeing the area after the gunfire. Police have vague descriptions of the suspects.

An area resident said he was sitting in a backyard with a friend when they heard two shots. "I just heard bang, bang," said the man, who didn't give his name. "That did make us jump. It was really loud." The man said gunshots are not uncommon in the area. He hears them about once a week. "It's getting really crazy here now," he said.

This was the second fatal shooting in the neighbourhood this year.

On Aug. 5, Melbourne Glendon Whittick was shot in the abdomen after becoming involved in a dispute with two men while walking to a bus stop on Victoria Park Avenue north of Finch Avenue. Police said the 27-year-old was heading home from a barbecue with friends at the Morecambe Gate complex. Police believe the suspects may have been after the gold chain Whittick was wearing.
Please pray that these incidents would not intensify in this "turf war", and that rival gangs will not retaliate for this senseless killing. Pray that many youth would turn to the Lord as a result of this tragedy and stay out of gangs. Pray for us too that we would know how to counsel youth and families dealing with this tragedy. Lord help us all!

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