Shooting on Franklin Avenue and Union Street

Around 10.00 p.m. last night there was a big argument going on at the corner of Union Street and Franklin Avenue. Several people were involved in the dispute and after some yelling and name calling a gunshot was fired. Most of the people immideately run off and the scene calmed down.
I called the police, and they arrived within minutes. Did anyone see or hear something?

Yes, I heard/saw exactly the same thing you described. There was a loud crowd of people outside screaming and hooting. It sounded like a crowd egging on a fight or something. I thought about calling the cops but since this kind of thing happens about 3 or 4 nights a week on Union, I figured, "screw it". This time the episode culminated in a gunshot.

My question is, why are there so many gunshots but so few people actually getting hit? I mean, can't these guys aim? Hahaha. If only these boys would work on their marksmanship, maybe the neighborhood troublemakers would quickly wipe each other out, eliminating the problem of noise, crime and disorderly conduct on the street.

Sorry for the cynicism. Just a little disgusted with it all today.

cythren wrote: I mean, can't these guys aim? Hahaha. If only these boys would work on their marksmanship, maybe the neighborhood troublemakers would quickly wipe each other out, eliminating the problem of noise, crime and disorderly conduct on the street.

nope they cant aim . with all the shootings, you always read some innocent bystander instead getting shot instead of the intended target of the drive by or just plain shoot out.

most self-defense experts assert that you (the untrained victim of random violence) have a pretty good chance of not getting hit by a bullet if you're 5 feet (or more) away from the shooter. chances are, you can run and not get killed. or even shot. if you're the target, that is.

cythren wrote: If only these boys would work on their marksmanship, maybe the neighborhood troublemakers would quickly wipe each other out, eliminating the problem of noise, crime and disorderly conduct on the street.

The rising rental market will do it before their marksmanship will.

alafairnadia wrote: most self-defense experts assert that you (the untrained victim of random violence) have a pretty good chance of not getting hit by a bullet if you're 5 feet (or more) away from the shooter. chances are, you can run and not get killed. or even shot. if you're the target, that is.

Really? 5 feet is pretty close! I'd think it would be hard to miss at that range!

I'd heard (but I've forgotten where) that most people are about as accurate with a handgun as they are with a softball.

Carnivore wrote: I'd heard (but I've forgotten where) that most people are about as accurate with a handgun as they are with a softball.

Are we talking a soft lob for accuracy, or a 100% go fo the gusto throw? :?

WhyFi wrote: [quote=Carnivore]I'd heard (but I've forgotten where) that most people are about as accurate with a handgun as they are with a softball.

Are we talking a soft lob for accuracy, or a 100% go fo the gusto throw? :?


I always interpreted it to mean an overhand throw (say a throw to 1st base), not a pitch.

Carnivore wrote: [quote=alafairnadia]most self-defense experts assert that you (the untrained victim of random violence) have a pretty good chance of not getting hit by a bullet if you're 5 feet (or more) away from the shooter. chances are, you can run and not get killed. or even shot. if you're the target, that is.

Really? 5 feet is pretty close! I'd think it would be hard to miss at that range!

I'd heard (but I've forgotten where) that most people are about as accurate with a handgun as they are with a softball.

apparently most people aren't trained to hold the gun steady during the recoil. there's no recoil from a softball, but there is from a handgun. that's why, of course, when you're trained to shoot (for self-defense purposes), you're generally trained to aim for a person's torso. but the untrained person shooting a gun is probably aiming a bit high to begin with - trying to threaten your head or heart - so the chances of their shot going wild and not hitting the intended target is pretty high. with unfortunate consequences, of course.

also the self-defense folks that tell you to run from a gun from a certain number of feet away are weighing odds - if you're being mugged and you are either going to have to approach the mugger to give them your money, drop your money, or run away, you've got even odds of surviving any of the three.

cythren wrote: Yes, I heard/saw exactly the same thing you described. There was a loud crowd of people outside screaming and hooting. It sounded like a crowd egging on a fight or something. I thought about calling the cops but since this kind of thing happens about 3 or 4 nights a week on Union, I figured, "screw it". This time the episode culminated in a gunshot.

My question is, why are there so many gunshots but so few people actually getting hit? I mean, can't these guys aim? Hahaha. If only these boys would work on their marksmanship, maybe the neighborhood troublemakers would quickly wipe each other out, eliminating the problem of noise, crime and disorderly conduct on the street.

Sorry for the cynicism. Just a little disgusted with it all today.

Funny you should mention markship. When I was speaking to the Deputy Commander of the 77th Pct. a few months ago about the upsurge in homocides in Crown Heights North, he stated that, oddly enough, the number of shootings had not increased, just the number of fatalities. He then made some comments to the effect that the local bad guys must be improving their aim!