Gun Violence Victims Remembered at Bronx Rally

The "lie-down" outside the Bronx County Courthouse last Thursday (Photo: A. Watkins)

On April 16, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, a group that advocates for stricter gun laws, held rallies in Midtown, Harlem, and the Bronx to commemorate the third anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre.

Outside the Bronx Country Courthouse, volunteers lay down for three minutes to highlight the short length of time it takes to buy a gun in this country, and the speed with which VT student Seung-Hui Cho was able to kill his 32 victims.

April 16 is also the anniversary of a Bronx tragedy: the murder of toddler David Pacheco in Morris Heights on Easter Day 2006. His memory was also honored at the event.

David was sitting in the back of a minivan his mom was driving when a stray bullet tore through one of the doors and hit him in the chest. The crime remains unsolved. Gloria Cruz, president of the Bronx chapter of NYAGV, said she's trying to get "America's Most Wanted" to feature the case.

Next Tuesday, Cruz is travelling to Albany for NYAGV's annual "Sensible Gun Legislation Day" - part of a lobbying effort to encourage legislators to pass tougher laws, such as "microstamping" legislation, which would help police trace guns recovered in crimes. Among those accompanying her will be several high school students from the Bronx Youth Council, which was founded in January by the NYAGV and the borough president's office, following a spate of gun violence in the Bronx last fall.

May's Mount Hope Monitor

The May edition of the Monitor is now online. This month, stories include:

In Mount Hope, a Nonprofit Collaboration
Several Bronx-based community development organizations have begun holding monthly meeting at Mount Hope Housing Company’s offices on Morris Avenue, to discuss ways they can join forces and survive the economic downturn.

'No Hitting Zone’ at St. Barnabas
At St. Barnabas Hospital’s Child Advocacy Center, the “No Hitting Zone” is not only an area where parents are asked not to swat their kids, but a larger initiative to create healthy family relationships.

Murdered Toddler Remembered
In Mott Haven, recently, 32 children lay down on a sidewalk and played dead. The “lie in,” on 141st Street at Beekman Avenue was held on April 16 to mark the second anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre in which 32 people were killed, as well as the third anniversary of a Bronx tragedy: the murder of two-year-old David Pacheco.

Roberto Clemente’s Pools Won’t Open This Summer
In summers past, when the mercury climbed to blistering highs, west Bronx residents could cool off in Roberto Clemente State Park’s Olympic-size swimming pool, beside River Park Towers at the edge of the Harlem River. From late June through Labor Day, it attracts hundreds of visitors a day. But not this year: the pool will be closed for renovations.

Opinion: Public Education at a Crossroads
Vincent Wojsnis, a Bronx middle school teacher and a UFT chapter leader, believes mayorol control of the city's public schools - which is up for review in June - has been a disaster.

Man Tried to Hire 'Hit man'
A Davidson Avenue man, languishing on Rikers Islands on a rape charge, attempted to have the woman he’s accused of raping murdered, police say.

Remembering Victims of Gun Violence

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre. It's also the third anniversary of the death of toddler David Pacheco. David, 2, was hit by a stray bullet at the intersection of Harrison and West Tremont Avenues in Morris Heights on Easter Day 2006. His murderer is still at large.

To commemorate both tragedies, and to push for stricter gun laws, the Bronx chapters of Million Moms March and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, will hold a "lie-in" tomorrow at 141st Street at Beekman Avenue (just south of St. Mary's Park).

According to a press release, protesters will lie down on the street in group of 32 (the number of Virginia Tech victims) for a few short minutes to "highlight the short length of time it takes to purchase a gun in the United States." It starts at 2 p.m.
For information, or to get involved, call Elaine Cintron at (718) 813-4926.

To learn more about the Bronx chapter of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, check out this terrific article that appeared in The Bronx Beat last month.

(Photo by J. Fergusson)

Remembering David Pacheco

Last Thursday, the 46th Precinct held a block party on Harrison Avenue at West Tremont Avenue. Local residents tucked into free food and danced to live music. Kids played games and got their faces painted. But away from the fun, the purpose of the event was to promote safe streets and draw attention to the evils of gun crime.

Mount Hope Monitor photograher Alma Watkins took a bunch of photos, including the one above - a small memorial of sorts to two-year-old David Pacheco who, you may recall, was shot dead at this intersection on Easter Day 2006. David's crime? Well, he was buckled into the back seat of a minivan when a stray bullet - the product of a nearby gang fight - burst through the window and hit him in the chest.

A local man, Nicholas Morris, was picked up soon after and found to be in possession of a loaded .347 Magnum. He was charged with murder, but the case fell apart earlier this year when forensics showed that the Magnum wasn't the murder weapon. "I'm happy that justice has finally been served," Morris told the Daily News.

According to the Bronx DA's Web site, a man by the name of Ronnell Gilliam faces related charges of "hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence." His trial starts on Sept. 22.

But no one new has been charged with murder, meaning David's killer continues to walk the streets. "Where is my justice?" the memorial poster asks. It's a good question.