Residents protest shooting of teen

I-Witness Exclusive by Barbara White Dead men don’t feel pain, their mamas do." That was one of the messages on one of the many protest signs carried by activists, neighborhood mothers and their children. The protesters held a rally in front of the Friendly Food Market, located on 23rd and Center streets, where the store’s co-owner, Kulwant Hans, 39, shot 14-year-old Princella Walker in the leg after she left the grocery store. More than 75 people from the neighborhood and the

Two young protesters hold up signs proclaiming their disdain for Friendly Food Market, where a 14-year-old girl was shot by the storeowner. (White photo)

community joined Assistant Pastor Will Davis of New Birth Church, members of Project Respect and United Neighborhoods to demand the store be closed permanently, not only because of the shooting, but also for alleged illegal activity taking place there. Judging from the neighborhood participants at the rally/protest, it was easy to see that the residents living around the store are

very young.

Many of the young men in the area are 17 years of age at the most. The young people who spoke at the protest said they are tired of the violence, saying they can’t play outside or walk the streets without fear of being shot.

Hans, the accused store shooter, is out of jail on a $1,000 bail and continues to change his story in regards to how and why he shot the teen. He is now saying it was an accident, stating he had the gun because he feared he might be robbed.

A young woman who was with the 14-year-old when she was shot and did not want to be identified by name, said they never went into the store to steal anything.

She added they left the store and the next thing she heard was a gunshot. She then saw blood coming from her friend’s leg. "We didn’t do anything for him to shoot at us," she said.

Other youths expressed their fears during the rally, punctuating their statements with the phrase, "nobody cares." As the protest continued, young males were riding up and down the streets in their cars, arrogantly blasting their stereos. There was no police presence at the rally.

The young people say they hardly see any police in the area.

State Representative Leon Young joined the protesters in their call to shut the store down. "A grown man shoots a baby. We must shut this store down. It’s a hazard in our community."

Common Council President Willie Hines, who represents the area where the shooting took place, was not at the protest. However, he reportedly met with the other owners of the Friendly Store Enterprise.

This information raised many eyebrows and angered those living in the area and who were protesting. Mayor Tom Barrett was not at the rally either, though he did send a representative. Again, many at the rally were angered by his absence, noting that the mayor did go to the scene of the fatal shooting of a Miller Brewing executive.

Barbara Moore, executive director of Project Respect, said her organization plans to bring the city’s political leadership together to tell them they want the store permanently closed.

Many of the neighbors pointed out the drug houses on the block to a reporter, who asked if anyone calls the police or their alderman about the drug houses. The neighbors’ response: the police "don’t come here."

At the rear of the store, a reporter could see that more than groceries may have been sold there. According to residents in the area, siding had been added to the back of the building to cover a small opening, which became visible when a piece of the siding was lifted up. It’s believed drugs are sold out of the opening.

On the ground around the store there was a great deal of trash and what looked, even to the untrained eye, like probable building code violations.

Charles Reed, one of the community organizers, said that upon his arrival, a young man on a bike came up to him and asked why was the group bringing "drama" to the neighborhood.

Several neighbors told a reporter that some boys hang out on the side of the store and deal drugs. They say when the police do show up, the boys reportedly go into the store where the storeowner allegedly allows them to hide their drugs until the police leave.

Norman Madison, board chair of Project Respect, said most of the drug dealers in the area are between the ages of 16- to 19-years-old.

Sherman Jackson, who has lived in the area since 1965 with his elderly parents--who refuse to leave--says "it’s a mess around here and it’s getting worse. No one has a job, the neighborhood is almost unlivable. It’s nothing like when we first moved here. As long as my parents stay, I have to stay to protect them."

Alderman Hines did finally show up at the rally. He was escorted to the back of the store where he was shown the hidden opening under the siding, as well as other possible violations of the building code. Hines said he would look into what could be done.

The store--which has been closed since the shooting--is reportedly scheduled to reopen despite the various issues that continue to plague the neighborhood.

Area residents are wondering what the alderman and the city plan to do to stabilize the neighborhood and supply it with needed services.

It has been learned the owners of the store where the shooting took place own four more Friendly Food markets and a gas station.