With 10 homicides in the month of August, all of them being Black individuals, there have now been 67 homicides in Allegheny County thus far in 2014. That is five more than last year at the end of the month. There have also been more Black lives lost than last year as well. At the end of August in 2013 there were 42 Black lives lost, this year there have been 53 and seems to be increasing.
A few of the senseless tragedies that took place this month included the beating and stabbing of a Wilkins Township woman, the shooting death of a man looking to have fun at a well-known establishment, the stabbing of a North Side man at a Giant Eagle and the shooting of two witnesses in separate trials.
For years the New Pittsburgh Courier, along with several law enforcement agencies and even public officials, have been pleading for the community to take a stand and report what illegal activity they see to help get those individuals destroying our streets off of them. But how can we advocate for people to come forward if those who are supposed to be protecting them aren’t doing their jobs?
There has to be some assurance that a witness’ safety is just as valuable as the testimony they’re giving. Young Black lives are just as valuable as their counterparts and its time they were treated as such.
Maybe if it was, a Duquesne teen and a Hill District woman would still be here today, instead of a name on this list.
As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in Black communities, the New Pittsburgh Courier will compile a list of homicides in the County each month. It is our hope that as the list of victims grows, so will a true understanding of how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods.
Out of the 67 murders, thus far, in 2014—53 were Black and 47 were Black men.
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