Murder marches on in North Baltimore: 17 year old girl killed
My day started by hearing news about another tragic – and yet – all too common occurrence in Baltimore. I received a text message from a dear friend letting me know that a 17 year old girl, Qurra Iqbal, was murdered this morning at her home which is directly across from her former middle school. My friend works at the middle school and the girl used to be one of her students. Not only was she murdered, but her mother who is a double-amputee was critically beaten as well and at the time of this writing is at Johns Hopkins Hospital fighting for her life.
This, according to the Baltimore Sun:
A 17-year-old girl was fatally stabbed in a Thursday morning attack that also left her 59-year-old mother in critical condition, one of three violent incidents in Northeast Baltimore over a 12-hour span, according to police.
A 32-year-old man, who lived with the woman and her daughter in the 5500 block of Midwood Ave. in Cameron Village, was taken into custody in connection with the stabbings after barricading himself in a home less than a half-mile away, police said. The woman and her daughter were found about 7 a.m. in their home, and the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene. Her mother was taken to a local hospital, where she was in critical condition, according to police.
Agent Donny Moses, a police spokesman, said investigators did not have a motive, but first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder charges were pending.
It turns out that the girl’s cousin was the offender in this horrendous crime. It never fails to boggle my mind when I hear of such violent crimes in this city. It always flicks at the scab of my own experience of having a young family member and many young friends murdered in the town of my birth.
In addition to being close to some of the staff at the school; I also have young people at my church who attend Chinquapin Middle School. It’s a school that is special to me because of its proximity to my home and church. In fact, this January I’ll be joining with others to start a mentoring program for about 25 seventh grade boys there. As my 1 year old son gets older, it would be one of the public Middle School options that we have for him.
Leaving a clergy meeting this afternoon, I stopped by the school just to extend myself to any who might need support. Being that the crime scene is directly across the street from the front door of the school, I couldn’t help but to see the aftermath. Police tape. Investigators gathering evidence. Photographer. And curious middle school students peering out of a second-story window taking the entire scene in.
I couldn’t help, but wonder how I would be impacted if I was a student there and someone – and not just someone, but a former student – was murdered right across the street from the front door. Would I be thinking about learning? Would I feel safe? Would my teachers know what to say to me? Would I think it appropriate to cry? How would I process my emotions about the event?
After leaving my information with the office staff and speaking briefly with some of the residents, I walked out – again past the crime scene. My heart breaks that during this first week of Advent – a week where Christians begin the celebration of God’s Incarnation on earth – that such a despairing display of hatred and violence would break out.
I’m thankful to be a part of an effort in North Baltimore that is bringing together people of Faith, organizers, youth, educators, and other community members to expand our reach to the youth of this corner of the city and extend ourselves in love to them. We’re meeting again this Tuesday, December 8, 2009 1PM at my church, Pleasant Hope (430 E. Belvedere Avenue, 21212). All are welcome.
We must continue to respond. Each and every time violence attempts to characterize our communities or even our governments, there must always be a remnant that refuses to be afraid or apathetic. This remnant must be prepared to wage peace at every turn – from Baghdad to Afghanistan to Baltimore and every point in between.
My prayers go out to the affected family, school, and our community during this sorrowful time.
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What kind of animal does this? He will never feel the pain that he caused his victims
This man was not the victim's cousin as the paper states. His guardian is the victim's cousin, Wanda Bradley, and that's exactly where he ran after this vicious animal killed Qurra and her mother Debbie Beard. So just to clear up errors that the paper stated, William Jones is no kin to his victims at all, he was raised by Wanda Bradley, his guardian and she is the one that dropped him off at his girlfriend's apartment, just above Qurra and her mom Debbie Beard. Why would Wanda drop him off, I wonder???? She knew he was drunk, it takes a lot for a 400 pound man to get drunk, so I'm sure he was already drunk when she dropped him off. She knew that her double-amputee cousin lived there with her 17 year old daughter. Was she scared of him herself? She knew he had a temper and anger issues, after all she raised him. Why would she take him to a place where these people could not defend themselves Why are the police not questioning Wanda Bradley, at the house that William Jones fled after the brutal murders.