Murder in Toronto

A Globe and Mail editorial gets it dead right:

...the underlying problem of large, poor, fatherless families, alienated teens and a gangster culture transplanted in part from Jamaica is sinking its roots into Toronto, and will not soon let go.

The all-too-progressive and politically correct Mayor of Toronto, and the Liberal Attorney General of Ontario, get it dead wrong.

The Mayor:

Mayor David Miller blasted federal politicians yesterday for failing to enact a handgun ban. "Having a safe city is about getting guns off the street. It is essential that we end this fiction that we can allow so-called collectors to own handguns in this country and remain safe," he said.

"It is also essential that we end the fiction we cannot do anything about lax U.S. gun laws ... it is time our national government acted to secure the border and to speak up to the U.S. to end the flow of guns into Canada and to legislate all handguns to be illegal."..

The Attorney General:

In the wake of Ephraim Brown's shooting death early yesterday, Michael Bryant said he will push Prime Minister Stephen Harper to ban handguns, tighten up the gun registry and safe storage rules, and enforce the provincial weapons program.

"Some people will point out that gun crime is down in Toronto," he said. "Tell that to the family of the 11-year-old who died of a gunshot. We had a weekend of tragedies. We have to redouble our efforts. We have to continue that work tonight, tomorrow and hereafter."

[...]

Thousands of guns are stolen every year [how many legally registered handguns are stolen, and how many are then used in a crime? - MC] and there are too many on Toronto's streets, he said. It's time to crack down on illegal gun traders and make it harder to get a handgun, Bryant said, adding he will ask the federal government for support in "closing the loopholes that exist to get a handgun."

"We need to choke off the gun supply from legal gun owners to illegal gun owners."...

And this is what's dead wrong with the criminal justice system:

One man, Akiel Eubank, 20, has had numerous run-ins with the law and wears his gang affiliation razored into his haircut. Police describe him as a gang member with a history of violence and weapons offences. He was on probation and prohibited from owning weapons [emphasis added].

The other, Gregory Sappleton, 21, two years ago faced numerous charges after a home in the city's north end was sprayed with bullets, injuring four people including Shaquan Cadougan, then 4, believed then to be Toronto's youngest shooting victim.

These two are the suspects charged yesterday with first-degree murder in the death of 11-year-old Ephraim Brown, believed to be Toronto's youngest fatal-shooting victim...

Mark C.

Posted by markc at July 24, 2007 10:26 PM