Hillcrest Hate Crime Also a Timely Reminder About Gun Violence
Twenty nine year old Stefano Markell Parker pulled an AR 15 from under his trench coat on Tuesday night and fired an estimated 19 shots into The Asian Bistro on Fourth Avenue in Hillcrest. The restaurant’s glass shattered as the nine patrons inside scrambled to safety.
Eyewitnesses told the SDPD the gunman “lowered the rifle and calmly walked away.” He was arrested about 90 minutes later thanks to tips from community members. Parker faces nine counts of attempted murder, one count of using a firearm in any felony and felony possession of a firearm.
The gun used in the shooting was not reported stolen and it wasn’t registered with the State of California. A man with a felony record like Parker shouldn’t have been able to purchase it anywhere. Yet he did.
And although nobody was killed in the shooting, each of those bullets fired has left an emotional scar, both on the people who happened to be in the area and in the larger community.
Parker’s actions have yet to be officially labeled as a hate crime. Homophobic comments made by the shooter on Facebook were enough evidence to spur Mayor Faulconer, the chief of police and representatives from the LGBTQ community to hold a press conference.
On Wednesday San Diego City Council members Chris Ward (District 3), Jennifer Campbell (District 2) and Council President Georgette Gomez (District 9) issued a joint statement regarding the shooting and other recent suspected hate crime in the Hillcrest.
“Over the past week, we have seen an increase in crime and violence in a community that has historically identified as LGBTQIA+. From the cowardly vandalism of Pride Plaza to last night’s shooting on University Avenue, it is clear that more must be done to address the rising public safety concerns of our residents. As members of the LGBTQIA+ community and the City Council, we stand united against these acts of violence and hate. What is meant to silence our community will only make us stronger, and we look forward to using that strength to work with the Mayor’s office and the San Diego Police Department to ensure we truly are a city that is safe for all.”
The vandalism referred to above consisted of a blunt instrument being used to deface the pride monument at University Avenue and Normal Street. Two images on plaques near the base of the monument were scratched and gashed. One shows the original local LGBT center, the other portrays activists lifting the pride flag.
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Finally, a Congressional response beyond hope and prayers to the nation’s gun violence epidemic.
The House Judiciary Committee voted affirmatively on two bills Wednesday, marking the first time in several decades (1994) for gun violence prevention legislation to make it to the floor.
HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, (With 244 co-sponsors),calls for federal background checks to be required on all gun sales, including private transactions, with an exception for transfers between family members and temporary use of a gun for hunting purposes.
HR 1112, Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, eliminates the loophole in current law allowing guns to be purchased if the background check takes more than three days. This loophole enabled the tragic hate-crime murder of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. The shooter was not legally allowed to possess a firearm as a result of drug charges, but he still was able to purchase his gun from a licensed dealer, who made the decision to transfer after three business days had elapsed, despite not having received a definitive response from the background check system.
The National Rifle Association and their Republican allies shamefully tried their best to kill these bills.
https://twitter.com/Pappiness/status/1093279111005515776
On the first day of hearings, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) argued the baseless claim that gun violence perpetrated by undocumented immigrants is a more pressing danger than gun law loopholes.
He then attempted to have parents of young people who died in the Parkland, FL shooting removed from the gallery for calling him out on his lie.
https://twitter.com/ColbyItkowitz/status/1096117705277689856
From Reuters:
Witnesses said the legislation would close loopholes exploited by online gun dealers and those who purchase guns for others unwilling or unable to buy their own.
“This bill will definitely save lives,” Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told lawmakers.
Of the close to 40,000 deaths from gun violence in 2017, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in December that 60 percent were self-inflicted.
It took 11 hours on Wednesday before a gallery of gun violence survivors and their families for the legislation to be voted on as NRA-supported Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, tried to adjourn the meeting, submitted numerous amendments to water down the bill and used other parliamentary tactics to stop the bill.
https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1096066230442749952
The overwhelming bipartisan support for these bills symbolized the power of advocacy and the incredible power of survivors who share their stories.
Since the Parkland shooting one year ago today, guns have killed 1200 kids in the United States. A team of young journalists has documented their heartbreaking stories.
Ugh. I hate writing about this stuff. Hate crimes and gun violence; two symptoms of a very sick society.
Happy Valentines Day.
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Your Daily Reminder: There are and will be a number of people running to be the Democratic nominee for President in 2020.
Let’s do our research, support the candidates of our choice, and talk about it civilly. The process of primaries and caucuses will weed out the not-ready-for-prime time candidates, so it’s best not to obsess. Job one in 2020 will be dethroning “Individual 1.”
I intend to support the Democratic primary winner – with every damn thing I’ve got.
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Lead graphic credit: Screengrab via 10 News