Police Sgt. Jose Valle said the woman who allegedly caused minor injuries to 20 shoppers at a Los Angeles-area Walmart turned herself in Friday night.

She is currently not in custody but could face battery charges, Valle said. The woman’s identity was not released, but police said they plan to release more details Saturday morning.

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The attack took place about 10:20 p.m. Thursday shortly after doors opened for the sale. The store had brought out a crate of discounted Xbox video game players, and a crowd had formed to wait for the unwrapping. Valle says the woman began spraying people in order to get an advantage.

The incident was among those nationwide in which violence marred the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

In the most serious case, a robber shot a shopper who refused to give up his purchases outside a San Leandro, Calif., Walmart store, leaving the victim hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Police in San Leandro, about 15 miles east of San Francisco, said the victim and his family were walking to their car around 1:45 a.m. Friday when they were confronted by a group of men who demanded their shopping items. When the family refused, a fight broke out, and one of the robbers pulled a gun and shot the man, said Sgt. Mike Sobek.

Meanwhile, police in suburban Phoenix came under fire when a video was posted online showing a 54-year-old grandfather on the floor of a Walmart store with a bloody face, after police said he was subdued Thursday night trying to shoplift during a chaotic rush for discounted video games.

The video, posted on YouTube, shows Jerald Allen Newman unconscious and bloodied as outraged customers yell expletives and say “that’s police brutality” and “he wasn’t doing anything.”

In a police report that redacted the names of officers and witnesses, Newman’s wife and other witnesses said he was just trying to help his grandson after the boy was trampled by shoppers, and only put a video game in his waistband to free his hands to help the boy.

Larry Hall, assistant chief of Buckeye police, said Newman was resisting arrest and it appeared the officer acted within reason.

Hall said the officer decided to do a leg sweep and take him to the ground but the man unfortunately hit his head.

“The store was incredibly crowded, and I was concerned about other customers’ safety,” the officer wrote in his police report.

Hall said Newman, who had a bloody nose and received four stitches on his forehead, was booked on suspicion of shoplifting and resisting arrest.

In Sacramento, Calif., a man was stabbed outside a mall Friday in an apparent gang-related incident as shoppers were hitting the stores.

The victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The stabbing stemmed from a fight between two groups around 3 a.m. in front of a Macy’s department store at the Arden Fair Mall.

No arrests have been made. Police were hoping surveillance video will help identify the suspects.

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Fenger High School coach Cassius Chambers, 28, turned himself into police yesterday for an incident on Oct. 1 when more than 20 of his football players jumped Darion Jones, 16, outside of his Chicago home.

One of the players had accused Jones of stealing his Nike flip-flops, Jones’ mother told Chicago’s NBC affiliate.

Chambers and one of his assistants, Roscoe Pitts, watched the mêlée, but did nothing to stop it, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Read more at the New York Daily News.

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Justice? 32-Year-Sentence Given In Murder Of Derrion Albert

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported there were 3.8 million violent crimes last year, down from 4.3 million in 2009.

Experts aren’t sure why. The expectation had been that crime would increase in a weak economy with high unemployment like that seen in 2010.

The reality is that “we’re surprised to find how much it declines,” Professor Alfred Blumstein of Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School said Friday.

Also read: Chicago Crime Down For 30th Straight Month

More than 80 percent of the decline in violent crime was attributed to a plunge in simple assaults, by 15 percent. Those assaults accounted for nearly two-thirds of all violent crimes in 2010.

The combined total of property crimes and violent crimes was down 6.6 percent last year, from 20 million to 18.7 million.

The numbers come from the National Crime Victimization Survey, which gathers information on nonfatal crimes against people aged 12 or older by questioning a nationally representative sample of U.S. households.

Turning to rates of crime per thousand residents, which takes into account population growth over time, it’s clear that the decline in violent crime is part of a long-term trend that began in 1993.

From 1993 through 2010, the rate of violent crime has declined by a whopping 70 percent: from 49.9 violent crimes per 1,000 persons age 12 or older to only 14.9 per 1,000 in 2010.

Half of this decline came between 1993 and 2001. Between 2001 and 2009, violent crime declined at a more modest annual average of 4 percent, but that rate decline jumped to 13 percent in 2010.

From 2001 through 2010, the rate of property crime fell by 28 percent.

The rate for violent crime is based on the number per thousand population. The rate for property crime is based on the number per thousand households.

Blumstein added that “the victimization survey is basically confirming” the FBI’s preliminary figures from last May on crimes reported to police during 2010. That early, incomplete FBI data showed reported crime fell across the board last year, extending a multi-year downward trend with a 5.5 percent drop in the number of violent crimes in 2010 and a 2.8 percent decline in the number of property crimes. The FBI’s final figures for last year will be released Monday.

The victimization survey figures are considered the government’s most reliable crime statistics, because they count crimes that are reported to the police as well as those which go unreported. Over the last decade, the government has found that only about half of all violent crimes and only 40 percent of property crimes are reported to police.

Because the survey is based on interviews with victims, it gathers no data on murder. But the FBI’s crime figures, based solely on what is reported to police, do provide murder figures, and they are considered quite reliable because murder has always been the least likely crime to go unreported. Murder is by far the least frequent major crime, only 15,241 in 2009.

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While the exact details are not clear, various accounts are surfacing.

In one account, Simone De Moore tased a pastor at New Welcome Baptist Church in St. Elmo, Ala. after the pastor refused to pay him money he was owed.

Investigators are reporting things differently. In their account, a deacon pulled a knife first and Moore responded by firing the taser.

Read more at YourBlackWorld.

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LISTEN TO THE SHOW AIRED JULY 24, 2011

Solutions:
Written by: Deltonia N. Shropshire, MA
 
Engage in productive activities with your children

• Get away from the TV , hand helds and computers
• Read to infants and toddlers.
• Hide the Wii and get outside and ACTIVELY engage with family and friends. Manipulated video games will never replace one on one interactive social skill development.
*Get involved with school meetings, functions and activities.
*Participate in Parent Education courses, classes and workshops that will help retool your parenting toolbox.

Properly Socialize The Young
SAY NO! It is more than acceptable to tell your children “NO”. As a matter of fact it is necessary in building ethics within children. “No you cannot have this right now, you have to earn it” is in fact the message that kids need to receive to prepare them for a world filled with rejection. When told “NO” by someone else the resolve on behalf of the child will be: “ok, so how can I find a way to get what I need without impacting someone else?”.

Parents are too willing to give children and youth whatever they want without any negotiation. Young people must learn the value of work ethic through demonstrated, tried and true examples of emotionally, and yes even physically WORKING through situations.

Rejection is not a bad thing, if proven in small increments throughout a child’s life that they can find practical solutions then they can inevitably build a resistance and learn to fend for themselves rather than resort to criminal behaviors to get what they think they ought to have in the time that they think they ought to have it.

The world does not revolve around the demands of children, nor should we be unintentionally conveying that non-verbal message to our young.

As babies-it is vital that parents speak to their children in a loving manner. It is also equally important to establish behavioral boundaries as early as two-three months old.

Create an environment that cultivates trust and encourages the respectful, free spirited child to navigate the world without fear. Imparting an awareness of certain dangers establishes trust between the parent and the child. For example, if the parent keeps dropping the child and causing pain, then the child will be less likely to attach with that parent or care giver and less likely to trust the careprovider and the rest of the biosphere from which the child draws social skill development.

Discipline The Children
Children must have discipline, guidance and correction. Letting children and youth do whatever they want to do is not an option.

The arguement that “not killing the spirit” of a child nor “creating resentment” have immobilized modern parents. The heads of households have opted to take a hands off approach when raising their children.

Granted many parents are working several jobs to keep the household afloat. Many parents are often working without a partner or in a situation where the partner is not a viable contributor to the home, which in turn causes stress on the single provider. The stress then causes irritability and in many cases depression. The lack of interest is then projected onto the child or children in the home who still need their nurture, guidance and attention.

It has not helped matters that municipalities have inserted themselves into the child rearing practices of most American families.

The debate as to whether corporal punishment within households continues to be a case by case matter-largely contingent upon whether judges agree or disagree with the force a parent uses on their children or other youngsters when exacting discipline.
RESOURCE
RESOURCE
The arguement among leading child care agencies is that spanking a child is a temporary fix to a problem and that striking a child out of anger and frustration is sending a bad message to the developing child. The point is well made; however, there is disagreement in whether or not the discipline strategy is more effective in certain cultures. There is also reason to challenge the notion that it is a “temporary solution to the problem”, when learned conditioning is the particular methodology.

A child who receives a spanking/discipline/correction for an undesired behavior is far less likely to revisit the same behavior in a manner consistent with the last “unsuccessful” effort. The child will in most cases, formulate a new way to revisit the same situation to achieve a different account, in most cases the desired end result that is more conducive to the socializers requirements.

At its most basic level- reasonable corporal punishment is a very strong behavior modification tool, used to cause children to THINK about their actions and the consequences that the action may cause before they cause damage or an unfavorable outcome. This method is a last resort and is not the ONLY form of discipline.

The discipline technique selected for every household is different. Historically-corporal punishment was not an issue in homes that were headed by persons of color.

RESOURCE

Children and Youth need Positive Outlets
Sports, music, drama, technical skill development (cooking, mechanics, gardening, etc.) are all viable considerations when selecting extra curricular activities for children and youth.

Having children and youth participate in these types of engaging activities teach them how to cultivate and utilize strong social skills with others, as well as help shapes strong character. Unfortunately with the insurgence of technology, kids are less active and less socially intelligent. The person to person interface has been significantly reduced and therefore kids are being hindered from learning proper human development.

Engage in Effective Communication with your Children.
Stop talking at them and speak with them. Make a solid effort to understand their concerns, and future. Sit down, turn off all things that would distract and provide them with the attention that they deserve.

Children and youth need us to reinsert ourselves back into their existence. The parents, guardians and care-providers must reclaim their roles as household leaders and stop letting children assume their duties. The youngest members of our society are not able to have a childhood because they are being forced to grow up faster than they ought. There are images conveying that increased sexuality is popular. Girls and boys being raised without fathers are engaging in activities that are sexually recreational rather than fundamentally rooted in anything that will sustain a lasting relationship later.

Go to church. Find “safe harbors” where communal raising is common place. Church often offers other activities such as choir, youth ministry, and other service opportunities that would afford bonding.

Train the children in the way that they should go, so that when they get old enough to appreciate the lessons, they will not depart from them!

The adults must do alot of soul searching and put some love back into their homes in order to see any marked improvement in the behavioral displays of those set to run this world.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW AIRED JULY 24, 2011
Special Guests included: Mr. Worthy, Esquire and Mr. Mark Sturdivant- Vice Principal at Ceasar Chavez Public Charter School

INSPIRED BY THESE HEADLINES (to name a few):
HENRI PRATT, fatally stabbed 27 times

Florida boy kills parents and then throws a party

Twins murder their mother in ATL

Boy commits suicide because he was bullied at school

Teens violently attack man in the metro station

Teens violently attack on the metrobus

Pack of teens jailed in the murder of their classmate because the victim was dating the killers “crush”; decapitated and burned the body

Columbine

UVA attack; Boy brutally kills girlfriend

Boy kills girlfriend over Facebook status

When I was growing up, there were always stories of random acts of violence here and there, or a tragic shooting that would periodically capture the headlines. But what was once a rarity has sadly transformed into some sort of normalized disturbing behavior.

Just within the last week, a Florida teen was accused of bludgeoning his parents to death and partying afterwards; while in Brooklyn, NY, an eight-year-old boy was kidnapped, killed and cut into pieces after he asked a stranger for directions. And in between all of this madness, there were countless shootings, stabbings and other incidents across the country. The culture of violence is out of control and it is colorless, ageless and doesn’t discriminate in choosing its victims.

Last week, staffers at the National Action Network (NAN) and I sat down with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as we held an urgent meeting on the staggering rise in violence. Discussing everything from removing guns off of our streets to educating young people — to providing increased recreational activities and employment — we not only touched on the root causes of this dilemma, but also what decisive action we can all take. And earlier in the month, Rev. Sharpton and I held a similar meeting during the Essence Music Festival with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu who has young folks dying daily in his city.

When we speak of violence, often times, people resort to stereotypes or dismiss the idea all together believing that it doesn’t impact them. The truth is, innocent victims sadly come in all shapes, colors, sizes, ages, income brackets and religions. The horrific incidents of the past week are validation in that alone.

In Florida, you had a seemingly normal, suburban white teenage boy who is now accused of killing his own parents; and then hosting a party while their bodies lay in an upstairs bedroom. And in the Brooklyn Hasidic Jewish community, a young boy’s dismembered body was discovered and the culprit was allegedly a member of the same faith. This is a national epidemic and it’s time we stop pretending it only takes place “over there.”

As NAN continues its push to bring this issue to the forefront, we urge everyone to do the same. Call your local elected officials, organize a rally and ask why more isn’t being done to resolve this ever-growing catastrophe. Just as labor unions organize and convene around ideas of collective bargaining, so too must we organize around the issue of our lives. We at NAN are consistently seeking new methods of combating violence, and though we may not always have the answer, we never falter in our resolve.

On August 27^th, NAN will hold our annual march on Washington, D.C. honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (whose statue will also be unveiled that weekend). We call on everyone to join us as we seek new solutions to combating our most pressing challenges. If you cannot join us in Washington, commit to doing something somewhere in your community. The time for turning a blind eye is over; we must take decisive action now.

How can we sleep at night knowing our 16-year-old babies have guns in the next apartment, in the adjacent building, or hell even upstairs?! How can you call yourself a man or woman of the cloth, an educator, a Christian, a counselor, a parent or even a good person and not do anything?

What has happened to us?

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While its 26,000 residents make up about 6 percent of the city’s population, it accounts for 20 percent of Kansas City citizens in prison for murder or voluntary manslaughter.

Your Black World Reports:

Victims ranged from family members to rival drug dealers to innocent bystanders and motives have varied. Some headlines for cases in the area read: ‘Two teens beat a 15-year-old boy to death with a baseball bat to steal his tennis shoes’ and ‘A 19-year-old massacred four family members, including a 9-year-old half-sister, after fighting with his stepfather.’ Sometimes it seemed they killed for no reason at all. “He looked at me wrong,” one assailant told police after killing a man with four shots from a .357-caliber handgun.

Many who became killers said they had few examples of legitimate success to follow in their neighborhoods.  Instead they were drawn to the fast life of hustling, stealing and dealing drugs. Jewelry, stacks of cash and new cars, often displayed by older family members, lured them.

Many think things have only gotten worse.

Read More At YourBlackWorld.com

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Waters, who served as president of the West Ward Little League for 13 years, is said to be the only thing that separates his young players from the prevalent drug activity on the streets of Newark. He is seen by most community members as a strong, positive father figure for his players who affectionately call him “coach.”

Though Waters is revered by most, one former coach allegedly sought revenge after being fired by Waters for cursing in front of players. Henry Milstrey reportedly attacked Waters after a June 8 game in Valisburg Park. He was charged with aggravated assault.

Read More At NJ.com

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VIA THE WASHINGTON POST:

Seventeen students at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Prince George’s County were arrested and charged with assault Tuesday after a massive fight in a school hallway, police said.

The chaos erupted about 9:30 a.m., when a sheriff’s deputy was called to the second floor for a reported fight, police said. That deputy saw as many as 100 students fighting or watching the fracas, though school staff members moved quickly to break it up, police said.

It is unclear what sparked the incident, though investigators think it stemmed from a dispute between rival neighborhood crews known as Brightseat Road and Palmer Park, authorities said. Police said a student who was expelled from the school last year but allowed to return this year is believed to have been the primary instigator.

No one was seriously injured, although one student’s lip was split with a screwdriver, police said. His attacker, a 16-year-old boy, was charged as an adult with first-degree assault, police said. The other 16 students, 15 males and 1 female, were charged with second-degree assault, disorderly conduct and disruption of school activities.

Police did not identify any of those charged.

School officials disputed the police account, saying the incident began when an “adult male outsider” who transferred from Flowers last year reentered the school using his old ID.

The man, who had posted a threat a day earlier on his Facebook page directed at a rival crew, started the fight and then left, school officials said.

“What happened today is not symbolic or representative of what is going on at this school,” Principal Helena Nobles-Jones said in the statement. “The students of Flowers have made AYP(Adequate Yearly Progress) consistently and increasing student achievement remains our first priority.”

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