18-YEAR-OLD DEONTA TYRESE BONNER IS FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY'S 24TH HOMICIDE VICTIM ACCORDING TO THE ALLEN COUNTY CORONER. HE WAS STABBED IN HIS CHEST; HIS BODY LEFT BEHIND A VACANT HOUSE ON THE 2900 BLOCK OF WEISSER PARK. THE SCENARIO IS BECOMING ALL TOO COMMON IN FORT WAYNE.
24 IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMICIDES FOR THE WHOLE YEAR LAST YEAR. THE ONLY WAY WE WILL NOT PASS LAST YEAR'S NUMBER IS IF NO MORE HOMICIDES OCCUR THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. FORT WAYNE'S POLICE CHIEF SAYS IF YOU SUBTRACT A FEW JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDES WE HAVEN'T QUITE REACHED THE NUMBER 24, BUT HE SAYS THE MURDERS ARE UNACCEPTABLE, EITHER WAY.
YORK SAYS THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO GANGS ACTIVITY AND DRUGS. EXPERTS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SAY OTHER FACTORS LIKE THE ECONOMY HAVE BEEN TIED TO INCREASED MURDER RATES.
THE FEAR OF RETALIATION FROM KEEPS POLICE FROM TAKING MURDERERS OFF THE STREET. THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE IS WORKING WITH THE F-B-I TO CHARGE AND PROSECUTE MORE OF THE SHOOTERS ON A FEDERAL LEVEL. THEY HOPE THAT WILL DETER OTHER WOULD-BE MURDERERS FROM COMMITTING FUTURE HOMICIDES.
THEY SAY THEY ARE GOING TO NEED MORE COOPERATION FROM THE PUBLIC TO HELP SOLVE THE CURRENT STACK OF UNSOLVED HOMICIDES. CHIEF YORK SAYS GANG-RELATED OR NOT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO SOLVING EVERY CASE.
