A social time bomb and a night of terror

An idyllic tenting scene under a dark sky near the city - photo Creative Commons 

by Greg Saville

We spend a great deal of time in this blog describing how to prevent crime using SafeGrowth neighborhood planning. We offer up case studies of cities around the world where we work with people as they turn their neighborhoods back from the brink of crime. 

But there is a risk of telling the big story from a birds-eye view at the expense of the sensational crime story from the street. Gore never deserves sensationalism and gratuitous violence never deserves the spotlight. But then there are exceptions. This story is one. 

Because I am personal friends with the victims, and one told her story on Facebook, I decided to share their story about a hate crime. We may never know who is behind the crime, so I am speculating about the motive and the offender.  

THE CRIME

Last Friday, two of my friends from the Denver Art Society were camping in a city park and were attacked by unknown assailant(s). Someone threw a Flashbang grenade at them and fled. My friends went to the hospital - he had bruises and ear damage and she had shrapnel injuries, cuts, and bruises. Luckily their injuries, while traumatizing, were not fatal. 

Photos of Molly's injuries after the attack. Photo from Molly's Facebook page
with a GoFundMe campaign for her medical bills

My friend Molly describes the event on Facebook in her own words:

 “I’d never been so scared as I was the night my friend & I were bombed in Denver. I had lost housing last minute & took it as an opportunity to explore a new way of life. I had decided to sleep outside with my friend Tim. To me in no way did I see myself as homeless, but of course, society did.”

She then recounted the moment of the attack:

“Around 12:30 am on September 7th, I was awakened by a bright light flying towards me; the most intense flash I’d ever experienced. Followed by an earth-shattering bang; an explosion. The loudest sound imaginable and then some. I had in earplugs and still experienced ringing for days. Our tents were destroyed and I saw the depths of the experience. I became terrified for my life. Blood was all over me, time was moving in slow motion.”

 

THE MOTIVE

In conversation with my friends, I could not nail down a motive for this crime – there were no drugs or gangs involved. Because my friends were sleeping out at night in a city park, passersby no doubt assumed they were homeless. At that moment, of course, they were. Affordable housing is astonishingly rare in Denver, rents are exorbitant, costs of living are high and with inflation, it’s only getting worse. 

In the middle of this social catastrophe, extremism is on the rise. Extremists feel they need to lash out violently at any available target and the homeless are an easy target. 

It is a social time bomb…tick, tock.

THE WEAPON 

The photo is a Flashbang grenade. In the U.S., although they are possible to obtain, they are classified as Dangerous Devices by federal law. They are an explosive weapon used by military and police SWAT. They are also loved by militant extremists - terrorists, really! 

According to one police website:

 “...flash-bangs pack a punch — heat exceeding 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, a blast reaching 175 decibels, and a flash of 1 million Candle-power. As such, safe handling of them is a must.” 

 

Flashbang "stun" grenade used by the Israeli armed forces

THE OFFENDER(S)

Regular retailers don’t sell Flashbangs to civilians, so it’s unlikely street hoodlums did this. More likely it was fanatical extremists looking to make some deranged point about homelessness.

Molly and her friend called the police, but most of the investigation involved finding out if they were dealing drugs (they weren’t). Unfortunately, that is where the investigation ended. We are told there will be no police investigation because there is no evidence and no witnesses. The offender(s) remain at large, perhaps waiting for another opportunity to repeat their violence.

Near the scene of the crime in Denver

THE AFTERMATH

In SafeGrowth we rarely delve into the large P politics of the national discourse when it comes to preventing crime. The fact is that solutions are often local, collaborative, and straightforward. 

But now and then we must acknowledge the role of the big issues on victims of crime – homelessness, militant extremism, and easily purchased weapons that kill or maim. When will we insist that authorities do more about fanatical militants and amply supplied weapons? When will we wake up to the threat from extremists? 

Today I am thankful my friends are recovering from their wounds. They are safe from the maniacs who would harm them for whatever deluded reasons. For now, at least, my friends are safe.