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In Wake Of Fatal Shooting, Brownsville Says "Start Snitching!"
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 24, 2011
Modified Oct 24, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 24, 2011
Modified Oct 24, 2011
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Residents of the crime-ridden neighborhood of Brownsville were unified last night at a vigil for Zuranna Horton, the 34-year-old mother of 13 who killed in a gang shootout while picking up one of her children from P.S. 298 Friday afternoon. Over 100 outraged community members gathered together to urge anyone with knowledge of the shooting to come forward. While the catchphrase "stop snitching" is infamous in the ghetto, last night distraught locals shouted, "It’s not snitching, it’s saving a life!"
Horton was killed and another woman and an 11-year-old girl were injured Friday when gunfire broke out from a rooftop near the school. Horton reportedly died trying to shield other youngsters from the bullets. According to the Post, the violence was due to "an ongoing beef between two warring factions, the Hoodstars and the Waves. Members of both gangs told The Post that they consider themselves the modern-day Bloods and Crips—and sources say their violent feud has been raging for several years."
Last night family, friends and neighbors placed candles and stuffed animals at the site of Horton's murder, and marched from building to building demanding that anyone with information about the killing come forward. Local resident Michael Bailand told ABC 7, "This is a war zone. They need to stop the violence," while another neighbor said, "We're trying to unite. She did it for our kids. She defended our kids. She protected them."
There's a $15,000 reward offered for information leading to an arrest in this case, ABC reports. And the Reverend Al Sharpton is meeting with Horton's parents today.
Tagged
brooklyn
brownsville
crime
gangs
gun violence
stop snitching
zuranna horton
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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