A Tragic Full Circle: From Volunteer To Victim

When Pamela and Tom Bosley lost their son, Terrell, to gun violence in 2006--his friend, Robert Munn stepped up to the plate and stood by the couple and their children while they grieved. 

He would help Mrs. Bosley pass out flyers and provide dee-jay services for special events.

Now, Robert is gone.

Last Monday, the 29-year-old Munn was shot to death behind his grandmother's house near 89th and Cottage Grove. 

Just moments before, he stopped to get something to eat in a neighborhood that was dear to his heart. 

Right across the street, his family is well known at New Bethlehem #4 M.B. Church where Mrs. Bosley's father, Rev. Louis Montgomery, is pastor.  In fact, some of the church members say they heard the shots which ended Munn's life.

Yet, no one saw anything. 

It is a common scenario for many families and friends seeking justice for their loved ones: many eyes but no one sees anything. Sometimes, they are being honest; other times they are fearful to come forward with information leading to the arrest of a suspect.

Mrs. Bosley (left) organizes volunteers.

Now, Mrs. Bosley has another unsolved death to grieve. 

The day after Munn's death, she and her husband organized people to pass out flyers in the surrounding neighborhood to make residents aware of what happened.

"It's horrible. Not just for me but for my children, for the youth at this church, for the adults," she told Zack's TV. 

"That's how much he had an impact on everybody." 

(There is a $5,000 award for information leading to an arrest of a suspect by contacting Chicago Police at 312-747-8271 or St. Sabina Church at 773-483-4300.)

~ Zack The Producer

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Celebrities Step Up To Stop Chicago Violence

It was a scene reminiscent of the 2006 film, Gridiron Gang.

LaChelle Sanders (left) speaks with Fr. Pfleger

Last Saturday, rival gang members in Chicago's violent Auburn-Gresham neighborhood put down their guns and picked up basketballs for "The Peace Tournament" held at St. Sabina Church's gymnasium.

For a change, the only hand signals on the court were given by referees.

And there were some very notable faces in the crowd.  

Actress/singer Drew Sidora, activist Ameena Forte-Matthews and several  current and former NBA players came out to show their support--including Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose.

Rose spoke to the gang members about finding more peaceful alternatives--such as basketball--instead of making violent (and sometimes irreversible) decisions. He was joined by another Chicago native, Orlando Magic small forward Quentin Richardson. 

The same Rose who had been seen flashing gang signs years back, built a rapport with the young men--according to a Zack's TV source. 

In addition to Rose and Richardson, other current and former stars including Isiah Thomas made a pledge to continue to work with young people in the neighborhood.  

Olatunji Oboi Reed in Brazil (courtesy of Facebook)

Olatunji Reed, a research assistant in social affairs, supports what the athletes are doing. 

"We need more athletes and entertainers taking an active role in improving the conditions of our community," the 38-year-old Roosevelt University student said.  "They have incredible resources that can be put to use in our communities."

During the summer, Reed studied social affairs in Brazil--where he observed racism, health care disparities and poverty. For him, human suffering is not limited to the urban ghettos of America. But he clarified that elite American entertainers should still do their part. 

"They have an important voice that we need to hear in our communities," he said. 

"I would love to see them do more." 

~ Zack The Producer

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Veteran TV News Editor Stays A 'Cut' Above The Rest

"News editing is a lot like a factory."

Teresa Simmonds, a video news editor for WXYZ-TV in Detroit for the past 9 years, has developed a knack for assembling clips of footage into a finished product. 

In an exclusive interview with Twain Richardson, the 36-year-old media expert shares how she got into the industry and what she loves about it. 

"I am interpreting words into pictures. It's like a puzzle I am putting together for you--the viewer--to watch and understand," Simmonds explained.

As a child, the Michigan native decided that she wanted to go into film editing because of her love for science-fiction movies. "Editing incorporated all of my nerdiness--computers, graphic design, storytelling, and my need to organize chaos," she said. 

For those who want to follow in her footsteps, Simmonds offers a special warning. 

"Sometimes the fast pace of TV news gets to some people and they freak out," she revealed.

"For that, I just put on my noise canceling headphones."

~ 2CN Staff Report

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URBAN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA (PART 1): Beyond The Windy City

FORT WORTH- As the national media spotlights inner-city violence in Chicago, other U.S. cities--like Fort Worth, Texas-- are working to maintain a low crime rate.

Last month, the Fort-Worth Star Telegram reported that the city's crime rate had dropped 7.2 % from January to July 2012--compared to the same period in 2011. However, homicides increased over 50% from 19 to 29.

Yet, the city's police chief Jeff Halstead told the local media that the crime rate remains relatively low even with a continuous growth in population. [The most recent figures show that over 750,000 people live there.]

Regina Seaman, a 45-year-old consultant, moved to Texas from Rochester, New York in 2008. Until last year, she lived in nearby Arlington before settling in Fort Worth. The tech-savvy grandmother says that the city is "not the most violent," but she acknowledges that cities such as Chicago and Detroit are in far worse shape. 

Seaman writes about social issues on her blog, Regina's Family Seasons--which was born out of her passion for writing. In fact, she used her love for writing to keep a group of teens occupied when she worked as a youth services manager for a small nonprofit agency in Rochester. They started a newsletter to bring awareness to issues in the community.

"The program was awesome and we started distributing the newsletters to community organizations and got other young people involved," Seaman recalls. 

The youthful grandmother believes that urban violence should be addressed by first looking at how to keep the youth busy doing positive things. In her opinion, the community must allow their actions to speak louder than words. 

"[The community] needs to be genuinely concerned and prepared to help if necessary," she explains. "If 'Johnny' says he is having a hard time with math--offer to assist if you are good in math."

Seaman added that the "code of silence," in which community residents fail to report crimes due to fear of retaliation, creates a counter-productive effect in the war on drugs and violence.

"Communities cannot fight crime with one hand and beckon it with the other." 

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