A weekend wave of gun violence has Buffalonians wondering whether “The Queen City” has become the home of Yosemite Sam, that classic Warner Brothers cartoon gunman who entertained youngsters with his rootin’ tootin’ varmint shootin’ ways.
Buffalo’s CBS affiliate WIVB had the news on an incredible wave of shootings that happened over the Independence Day holiday weekend:
Erie County’s District Attorney is sounding the alarm after a violent 4th of July weekend in the Queen City. Across Buffalo, there were 10-shootings with 14 victims in just the last three days.
Buffalo is on pace to record nearly 90 homicides in 2021. While the numbers aren’t record-breaking, it’s still one of the worst years in decades.
None of this weekend’s victims died and those with serious injuries are expected to survive. So far, 46-people have been killed in the city this year.
For the Philistines unfamiliar with Sam, look no further than this clip of Yosemite Sam in action:
Like Sam, none of this weekend’s shooters killed anyone, but at this rate, Buffalonians are going to die and that’s no laughing matter. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn has talked up the need for community policing including members of the community speaking up. However, who can speak up when they’re too busy trying to survive in a war zone?
Back in the 1990s, I worked as a crime victim advocate on Buffalo’s East Side and sadly, the situation is as bad today as it was back then. It’s easy to point the fingers at citizens who refuse to testify against gang bangers, but when pistol-packing punks create an atmosphere where no feels safe, it’s difficult to blame people for keeping their heads down.
