Safety
Pastor Jim Wheeler spoke of “The commitment to testimony” this week at the First Presbyterian Church, where the 15-year-old rape victim attended services. Calling on his parishioners to rely on faith over fear, he has urged more people to mentor Richmond youth.
Eight days after the rape of a 15-year-old girl, the city’s religious leaders denounced the crime and offered prayers for those involved. Congregations discussed healing, the community’s moral compass, and ways of addressing the crime with church youth groups.
Concerned parents, teachers and community organizers at Richmond High School have demanded the school board install new security cameras, better lighting on campus and urged the creation of a comprehensive safety plan for the district.
Residents who live near last weekend’s brutal rape scene at Richmond High School say the assault is not representative of their neighborhood.
Students and teachers at Richmond High speak out in response to media publicity following last week’s rape of a 15-year-old girl.
We read about murder in the paper and watch reports of homicide on television. These stories are likely the only coverage of the crimes we’ll see. What happens to the families of murder victims as they resume their lives in the weeks after the crime remains unreported, their pain undocumented. Family and friends of murder victim Kaneesha Mallard struggled for answers at a press conference held four days after her death. Mallard, 19, and her companion, Alfred Thomas, 20, were…
Richmond High School students are hearing a lot more warnings this week about safety measures after the rape of a 15-year-old student, who was attacked on campus following a homecoming dance on Saturday.
He walked from a work car to his SUV, lifted the hatch and dug into his personal items, sifting in the methodical way he does most things. A bottle of clear hand sanitizer. A handy flash-drive that holds all his reports. A cache of shells and a sleek, black shotgun. Just after 8 a.m., the weather was mild with an ocean breeze. Fresh off his morning briefing, he was ready for a day at the office. In a city known for…
Phillip Sanchez comes to work with a crisp uniform and courteous demeanor. He’s recognized at the local Starbucks, where he likes to start off his day with a coffee and pastry. But the normalcy stops there. Sanchez’ office is one of the most crime-addled neighborhoods in the nation. Officer Sanchez patrols one of nine beats, the notorious Iron Triangle, a three square-mile area that owes its name to the railroad tracks forming its boundaries in central Richmond. The triangle is…