GO, GO, GO...This Saturday

GO BROOKLYN ART WEEKEND IS FINALLY HERE:

 WALK / BIKE TOUR INFO & SCHEDULES:

Each Tour will include visits to more that 5 Studios in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.  In general, all Tours will be Approx. 2 - 3 hrs long and will depart from PLAY KIDS at 676 Flatbush Ave. (Cor. Westbury Ct.) 

ON Saturday 9/8:

Walk Tour 1:  11 am from Play Kids - Hosted by Jennifer

Walk Tour 2:  12 noon from Play Kids - Hosted by Dave

Walk Tour 3:  4 pm from Play Kids - Hosted by Jennifer ON Sunday 9/9:  

Walk Tour 1:  12 noon from Play Kids - Hosted by Laura

BIKE Tour 2:  3:30 pm from Play Kids - Hosted by Susanne

Got Him

According to the Post, which often seems to have the first word from the NYPD, Christopher Johnson, 21, of Bed-Stuy has turned himself in for the horrific slaying of Clarkson Avenue resident Fatima Gordon.

A man suspected of opening fire on a Brooklyn street, killing a 28-year-old mother and wounding three other people, turned himself in to the Brooklyn DA yesterday.

Christopher Johnson, 21, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, was charged with murder and attempted murder in the Aug. 30 shooting in Flatbush.

Law-enforcement sources said that after Johnson turned himself in, he was picked out of a lineup.

nypost

Man Killed in Reckless Tragedy on Flatbush

A neighbor alerted the Q late last night of a horrible accident on Flatbush near Winthrop/Hawthorne. While the scene had been cleared by early morning, the major dailies had already picked up the story. This, from the Post.

photo by Danny Iudici

It's too early to say what caused the crash definitively, but vans were involved, speeding was involved, and it was a hit and run. Another example of reckless lawlessness on the Flabenue that simply MUST be addressed. We all know how crazy the street can be; it's time for some real action. Enough bitching on blogs (I stand accused); more full-throated demands of the DOT and NYPD.

It's not like elected leaders and DOT officials haven't heard this from us before. One concerned citizen in particular even took it upon himself to draw up some maps of how traffic could be calmed. By the DOT's own admission, this is a corridor that needs to be examined, and they promised just last spring to look at it this fall. The time is now. The Q will let you know if there's any official response.

Papa & Sons Closes Doors

Some melancholy pictures from Stephen B. as Papa & Sons closes its doors for good. There's been a lot hand wringing over the landlord's temperament and plans for the block, but perhaps a wait-and-see approach is best. Clearly plans are in the works, for better or worse. For whatever reason, the block has become a stand-in for issues of the neighborhood at large. Perhaps it's mine and others' faults for continuing to report on it as if it were anything other than the churning of commercial real estate, which is ultimately all it is. This is hardly the only corner of PLG worth developing, if someone, anyone, saw fit. My take is that it's easy to complain, much harder to go out and start a business yourself. To intrepid entrepreneurs of every type, the Q salutes you for your optimism and fortitude!

And this curiously supine suprise:

A Farewell and a Touch of Hope

Tonight, nearly 300 people converged on 80 Clarkson to pay tribute and to say with tears and anger that they're tired of the same ol' John Wayne/Lil' Wayne nonsense. Relatives of the family said emphatically that this must be the beginning of a new era of cooperation, lest a few gang bangers set the tone and create more fear and chaos. To all of you Q readers who showed up and showed you care, I salute you. It meant SO MUCH to the family. The aunt of the victim made it very clear to me that she so appreciated that the scene wasn't just family and friends but people from all over the 'hood, white black new old, and so many that she didn't even know personally. She kept saying "look what we've done," and she was referring to the huge crowd of people who, despite wildly different backgrounds, all care about the safety of the neighborhood and want to do something about it. When we marched to the Pioneer and back, the very route taken by Fatima Gordon on the night of the shooting, we shut down Clarkson and even the Flabenue came to a grinding halt. If only we can harness the vibe and find a way to shut down the turf wars that seem to have erupted in our midst - not just on Clarkson, mind you, but throughout the western 71st and northern 70th. Here's a video of one of Fatima's best friends reading a poem, and the crowd releasing balloons:

At this point it appears the block association will meet next Thursday the 13th at the lobby of 80 Clarkson, where we'll begin to plot a plan of action to rid the neighborhood of the worst and most frequent offenders. We will listen and learn from longtime residents, many of whom know much better who are the players, what they're up to and how to best engage them, and perhaps we can start to work with the precincts from a place of mutual concern rather than distrust. Hey, it's worth a try.

Please Join Us for Tonight's Vigil In Memory of Fatima Gordon

It might rain, but it might not. But to show support for the grieving family, and despite what you might think about the circumstances of the shooting, please join your neighbors for a candlelight vigil at the victim's home - 80 Clarkson - tonight at 7:30pm. People will start gathering at 7pm. Hopefully we'll see elected officials, clergy and NYPD joining us, and enough numbers that there needn't be any reason for you to be fearful. This is an expression of solidarity, not a protest and not a confrontation with the perpetrators. In fact, folks related to the intended targets will likely be in attendance and grieving along with the rest of us.

Lest there be any confusion: there is work to be done, and we can figure out how that should look and who should take the lead. Understandably, many of us are seriously concerned about the next steps and whether there's any real good towards the future that come of this. BUT...there's a family in pain right now, and the least we can do is show that we care. I'm not interested in guilting anyone into participating. Please show up if you can spare the time.

A little bit more that I've learned from the victim's family: at least one of the "other" shooting victims is on life-support. I don't know his name, though I'm told he goes by Jack. If you've been watching the street closely, you'd recognize him as the tall and big man (at least 260 lbs I'd say) that has been described to me by cops as a ring leader. He was definitely an intended target. The shooter has been identified, but he's on the lam and is the target of a serious manhunt.

West Indian Day and J'ouvert - An Amazing Day, Once Again Marred by Violence

Despite the fact that so much of the West Indian Day Parade is about "semis and generators," the Q continues to be a huge supporter of the festivities, ever since my first in 1989. The breathtaking 4am J'Ouvert celebration is perhaps more outlandish and spiritual though, and next year I plan to spend more time at that event, since it doesn't involve ear-squashing volume. J'ouvert, or "daybreak," is imbued with deep myth and meaning, and I'm thrilled to be getting to know more about its history and significance. But I missed it (it actually came down my block a couple times over the years, right down Clarkson, freaking me and the wife out, in a good way).

I rode my three-year old through the park up to Grand Army Plaza. A bizarre crowd-flow barricade allowed you to leave the park at GAP, but for some reason you weren't allowed IN the park at that entrance. So Little Miss Clarkson FlatBed Jr. stayed on the Park side and sat on the little tuft of grass up from that bizarrely European-style modern pay toilet at the bus stop heading back to Flatbush. It was a perfect location to witness the stilt-walkers, the dancing, the gaudy beautiful costumes...

We had a ball, rode back through the Park, and my love for my hometown came crashing back in as I saw every sort of family sharing what should have been a disastrously cloudy day together in the world's second greatest park. (I love saying that, though I have no idea what the first greatest park is or whether there even is a greater park. So please, don't take offense). I noted to myself that after a week of unnerving violence, the Parade seemed to come off without a hitch. But sadly, I just now saw an email from Officer Martinos. It must be very frustrating to all the wholesome revelers to every year have to confront stories like these:

Vinny from the 71st sent out this remarkably detailed account of the violence that came as the parade wound to a close:

This years Labor Day Parade unfortunately ended with violence. The last Labor Day float  T-Vice Ompa Haitian  was delayed due to the fact they had failed to hire a driver that was properly licensed for this event. After a lengthy delay the organizers were able to find someone with the proper NYS license and paperwork needed to drive their float. By the time they started a large gap between floats several blocks had grown. This float moved extremely slow and their music was the loudest of any float on the parade route. The crowd grew to unreasonable size due to the late start and slow moving pace. At approximately 515 PM in front of 650 Eastern several shots were fired from inside the overly large crowd around this float. A female was struck in her left lower back and a male in his left hip.  Both victims are expected to make full recoveries. A short time later at approximately 6PM at the corner of Bedford Ave and Eastern Parkway a male became the victim of a homicide. The victim was stabbed one time in the neck while inside this large group around this float. At this time there are no witnesses or motive to these crimes.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION PLEASE CALL THE 71 PRECINCT DETECTIVE UNIT A 718-735-0501 

Damn, damn, damn.

Arborcide

Early this morning, around 6 or 7 am, an accident claimed the life of the tiny garden at the triangle made of Washington, Lincoln and Flatbush.

Courtesy of Esther S

courtesy of Amy M.

And just so you get a sense of the tragedy, here's a picture of our Councilman looking spiffy and proud, from the recent Flowers for Flatbush event, oh so recently.

Courtesy of Amy M.

So sad. That corner, by the by, is a frigging death trap and everyone knows it. DOT told me last fall that a traffic study is going to happen for this stretch of Flatbush, an avenue that is too dang narrow for the amount of rip-roaring traffic that speeds down its gullet. Not to mention the absurd unregulated and illegal entrance-and-exits of the  BP station, a likely host-triangle to tragedy in the coming months and years if someone doesn't address the vehicular chaos. It's the Wild West out there, but even the Wild West didn't have Dollar Vans doing 45-50 mph and running red lights and stopping or changing lanes on a dime.

Accidents and Assault

Word just reached the Q that there was a big accident at just below Lincoln on Flatbush/Washington, near the B Fruitee. Anyone with info please email me.

And from Caton, near PS 249, this bizarre accident wherein man hits parked car and flees, leaving car exactly as it looks here (thanks Elizabeth C):

Plus a local dad got the crap beat out of him near the Q at Prospect Park, on Lincoln Road. Just last evening around 9:30. He was with his 9-year-old son, when the thugs challenged him and he apparently answered back, which gained him kicks and punches worth 13 stiches.

It's Time To Stand Together

This coming Tuesday night at 7PM, in front of 80 Clarkson, please make a point of coming out to share our outrage at what happened on August 30, 2012, and to show the family that we stand united against the senseless violence that frankly, could have struck any of us or our loved ones. There will be a vigil for the victim, then a march through the neighborhood to let everyone know how many we are, that we won't tolerate guns, gangs or drug-dealing on our streets. That's all I know about it right now; more info when I get it from elected officials and the family. But please, put it on your calendar. This is not a meeting, it's not a forum, it's not a petition, and it's not a letter writing campaign. It's a get-off-our-butts-and-show-our-numbers-kinda-thing, black-white-green-rich-poor-old-young-longtimer-newcomer, for the wayward young gang bangers, and the whole City, to see.

Over the last 48 hours, I've spoken to many people about the horrific tragedy that claimed the life of our neighbor, Fatima Gordon, as she was coming back from the corner store. The suffering on the faces of her family and friends is all you need to witness to see that she was beloved. From all accounts, she really was just walking home from the store, with two kids in tow. One, her son of just four years old, witnessed the whole thing. The extended family is trying to come to terms with what happened. The boy is terrified to go into the building, lest the "bad man who took my mommy" is in there. I'm telling you, it's outrageous to even have to write that last line.

The shooter rode his bike past 80 Clarkson on his way to a parked car near 40, around 9PM. He was not "from" the block, but he was not unknown. His appearance was apparently unwelcome to those who saw him. No one would tell ME who he was, but plenty of people want to see him caught. Perhaps he was a rival to the "gang" that hangs out in front of 35, 41, and most recently 40 Clarkson. This group of upper-teen to 20-somethings includes at least three guys who live on the block and a few others who come and go. They're well known to the Captain of the 71st Precinct, Jack Lewis. Jack came by my house last night to share some thoughts, but it was pretty depressing to hear how some of these guys go to jail for awhile only to return right where they got caught, doing the same ol' same ol'. According to Lewis, he has a hard time busting people on parole violations as well, which is often the only leverage he has against the low-level offenses. Seems like the whole NY legal system is jaded and backed up with the thousands of young men it must deal with on a perpetual basis of in for six, out for six, in for two, out for two, etc. etc. etc. Rarely does he see someone who buys into the life ever get out. He seems to understand why a kid would choose the live-fast die-young thing, but it comes at a big price to the neighborhood. Hell, watching the way these guys live, nothing to do all day, can't even safely go to other blocks, talking about not much, getting high, staring into space. Seems to me jail might actually be a sideways career move.

The gang was hanging out Thursday evening in and around its beloved black Cadillac Escalade (who owns it I wonder), which is the car they frequently deal from. Not that they're particularly careful about hiding it. I once saw a dealer throw the stuff onto the pavement, yelling at his customer "go fetch," in earshot of the whole block.The SUV Escalade, for those not in the know, is a favorite of rappers, sports stars and drug dealers. In fact, the folks at Cadillac were shocked to find that their biggest hit in years was also radically changing the company's demographic - younger and blacker - due to some pretty sweet product placement in videos they had nothing to do with, nor had to pay for. The car itself was well known to the 70th and 71st precincts.

I have yet to learn the status of the young men who were wounded, and I hope to find out more soon. Were they intended targets? The craziest thing I learned was that the killer apparently called someone in the family and apologized. For killing the wrong person. The response (this according to the victim's aunt) was "if you're sorry come turn yourself in." The mother said there's a manhunt on in three states to find him. (I'm repeating what I heard, I don't know if a lick of it is true. But this is one case where many people have a pretty clear idea who did it, or at least which posse he was from. The mother kept saying she wants "all three of them" to go down, and I have no idea what that means, but there it is.)

The surviving child may end up in the father's care. I met the father briefly, just before writing this. He seemed bewildered and shocked and was being asked to make decisions about funeral arrangements. I'm told Councilman Eugene has been by to express condolences and to offer to help pay for the funeral. Ditto the NYPD. T-Shirts are being printed with a likeness of Fatima. A vigil and march are happening Tuesday evening. The family hopes that all of you, each and every one of you, who have interest in this part of town, consider setting aside some time to come and join them in this moment of intense grief and sorrow.

But all of that said, what I'd really like to do, if I could muster the courage, is talk to the men who were hanging by the Caddy that night, and say, please, please, let it end here. Just let it go. There is, there always is, while you're above ground, another path to choose.