WTF

Apr 29, 2007 17:58

E-mail alert from CNN: "Multiple shootings" at Ward Parkway Shopping Center in Kansas City, Missouri, police department spokeswoman says ( Read more... )

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blackinkedwords April 29 2007, 23:27:08 UTC
I literally almost went there today. I decided at the last minute to drive a bit further to go to the Super Target on Stateline. Holy shit.

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fatso April 29 2007, 23:35:46 UTC
Isn't that scary? I know Kansas City isn't exactly the safest city in the US, but I would never expect something like that to happen at the mall.

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darksoul April 30 2007, 00:32:11 UTC
Why not? Ward Parkway has a history of gang-related violence occurring there. It's the most ghetto-fabulous mall in town aside from Bannister. Ever since Indian Springs shut down (for all intents and purposes), it's been the hoodlum mall of choice.

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megiloth April 30 2007, 01:49:49 UTC
Ward Parkway has a history of gang-related violence...aside from Bannister

When I got into work tonight, the day shift guy mentioned the story just saying that there was a shooting a local mall. I responded, "Bannister Mall or Ward Parkway?". When I got out of the Marines in 1993, Ward Parkway was the nice mall with the big theaters. I don't think I've been there since the mid-90's due to crime, gangs, etc.

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fatso April 30 2007, 01:59:15 UTC
Well if you had gone back you would know that the mall has completely changed the last few years or so.

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fatso April 30 2007, 01:55:07 UTC
Not really. The last couple years the mall has gone through some really vast improvements. The security guards have been cracking down, and the new store additions attract a ton of new customers.

In fact, I used to work at the mall, and I don't recall there being any problems with gang violence whatsoever. Teenage kids getting in fights from time to time? Sure. But that happens everywhere. Also, I would hardly consider this to be a gang incident. This is a person fled to a mall in broad daylight where he started shooting at people randomly. This is a freak occurence.

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lastimestanding April 30 2007, 10:44:05 UTC
i don't live in kc, but my mom does, and lives near that mall. i don't know what it used to be like, but i was there a couple months ago, and it certainly didn't strike me as incredibly "ghetto"...i agree with you that it's likely a freak occurence, it really could happen at any mall in any city.

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tequilalemonade April 30 2007, 19:21:22 UTC
I remember going to indian springs mall when i was really little to some..hands on museum they had... i remember being super scared there for whatever reason...apparently at the age of 7, i still knew that mall was not the place for little kids

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pyrrhus May 1 2007, 02:15:53 UTC
Lots of "50 something white male" hoodlums out there...

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fatso May 1 2007, 03:05:09 UTC
... no kidding.

I can't believe that so many people assumed the person was either black or in a gang. Talk about racist.

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Sorry if I insulted your shopping mall of choice or something. Jeez. darksoul May 1 2007, 03:19:56 UTC
I never said anything about them being black. There are gangs of all races in this town and I've seen all sorts at Ward Parkway prior to Target moving in and the mall getting cleaned up. I assumed that the shooting was the product of someone in a gang or a hoodrat teenager (I've got a handful of WHITE hoodrat kids living in my neighborhood) because of the history of violence at that mall. No one made even a veiled racist accusation here.

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Re: Sorry if I insulted your shopping mall of choice or something. Jeez. fatso May 1 2007, 06:24:33 UTC
...way to backpedal.

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darksoul May 1 2007, 03:15:16 UTC
At the time of my remark, nothing was available to me to suggest otherwise. The fact that the guy was in his 50's still does nothing to change my opinion of Ward Parkway. They may have cleaned it up when Target moved in, but my memories of that mall are going to remain tainted by the numerous fights I've seen break out in the mall and in the parking lot between teenagers and folks in their early 20's.

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pyrrhus May 1 2007, 12:13:39 UTC
Welcome to every mall. It happened to Blue Ridge, (or wal mart now. ;) Crown Center, Independence Center...

The problem isn't really the mall, but fights break out wherever young male egos tend to congregate.

Part of being young.

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