Two different incidents of street rage have left New Orleans' two former football players dead and the entire town once again tackling the recurring incidence of gun violence. For several people in the area of New Orleans, this is an issue that they contend with every single day.
Will Smith, a former NFL player, was killed last April 9 in a road rage on the street in New Orleans. On Dec. 1, another former NFL football player was killed. These incidents have left the entire city of New Orleans focusing on the prevalence of gun-related violence.
Roman Harper, a supporter of Smith who was also present during Smith's trial, said at the end of the day, they (the suspects) have taken the two lives, primarily, and then what is next. He suggested being better in every action and in handling oneself.
Reginal Washington has been in New Orleans for his entire life. He lives in a neighborhood where violence is often present. In fact, Washington said, they had a killing down the street, by the store where they just came from and then a woman got robbed by the school near them.
With the prevalence of violence in New Orleans, another New Orleans resident named Zach Strief said during these days in the city, one should not yell at somebody through a window or don't beep a horn, they should just get in the car, drive home and stay at home. Strief noted that it is a sad reality that they are living in a dangerous city.
"We cannot continue to have the same behavior repeat itself over and over again without the leaders in our community, in our schools, to be able to change people's lives," ESPN quoted J.T. Curtis, the high school coach of McKnight, as saying. Curtis added that people should do something to re-examine who they are, the adults in the community of New Orleans, and what they are teaching.
New Orleans officials welcomed 2016 with a hope of lessening the number of murders after a minor increase last year. So far this year there has been an increase by 34 percent in non-deadly shooting instances all over the city than last year, according to the data of NOPD. Also, data shows that the month of November has been the most violent for shootings so far this year, the Nola has learned.
