R.I.P. Carol Simon: Stray Bullet @ 368 Eastern Parkway

errol · December 2007

NYPD reports a woman shot to death on Saturday afternoon on Eastern Pkwy between Franklin and Bedford. I posted the early police report here:

http://savebrooklynnow.blogspot.com/2007/12/murder-eastern-parkway-71st-precinct.html

FYI, I will be logging homicides and missing person reports from the 77th and 71st precincts at http://SaveBrooklynNow.blogspot.com. Comments and tips welcome.

MOD NOTE: I've edited the title of this thread to reflect some the details that we now know about this heartbreaking tragedy.
Carol Simon R.I.P

neene · December 2007

thanks for continuing to provide information and insight into the issues and events that effect our community.

apollonia666 · December 2007

Hi Errol, welcome to the site! I don't know how much you've poked around the boards here, but if you do you'll probably find quite a few stories about robberies and assaults taking place in the area over the past few months (especially on this board and the Prospect Heights board), many of which have been posted by people directly involved.

Thank you for helping to raise awareness of what's going on in our neighborhood. Perhaps more media attention about these crimes will finally help direct more city resources to this area to help the police better respond.

My heart goes out to Ms. Simone's friends and family (for anyone who's reading this who didn't follow the link Errol posted, she was the victim in the shooting he mentioned). What a horrible, horrible loss this must be for them.

bojolais · December 2007

From the police report it looks like she was shot in her home. Probably by someone she knew.

eptp · December 2007

according to TV news, she walked out her front door and took a stray bullet in the abdomen on her way to the car. Much of the sidewalk and island in front of her building, the Nathan Hale, was taped off. The investigation appears to be ongoing.

The news also stated that she was an innocent bystander, and that the shots were fired by two men who had begun argument in a nearby business (I didn't catch exactly which one). They showed the victim's friends and family grieving, and they interviewed the father of her son (not sure of their relationship beyond this).

Please don't make the mistake of assuming this was a targeted crime. There seems to be no evidence toward this. It is really quite a tragedy. The victim could have been anyone who walks on that block which I'm sure includes many readers.

bendy broad · December 2007

Any ideas on things we can do for her family to help them through this horrible time?

daver · December 2007

She Aided Victims of Shootings, and She Became One

It was about 5:30 p.m. when, while taking her 9-year-old son to a Saturday evening swimming practice in Brooklyn, Carol Simon-Hayes realized she had forgotten something at her apartment. She left her son, Kieron, with friends at a gas station and approached her building, just down the block on Eastern Parkway.

When she was just steps away from the entryway to the building, a man standing amid nearby trash cans and folded boxes pulled out a gun and started firing at another man, striking her with a bullet, the police said on Sunday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/nyregion/17shot.html

anonymous · December 2007

Subject: Woman shot

This is Dakotas Way. Having a challenge with my Username again, for some reason.

That's just wrong. Just wrong.
What a terrible thing to happen to an innocent victim.
I just don't get the mindset of the shooter at all.....

anonymous · December 2007

wow. i dont think i've ever read a sadder nyt article

leet · December 2007

Subject: Re: Woman shot

45py7x wrote:
I just don't get the mindset of the shooter at all.....

He was mad at the other guy, conveniently happened to have a gun handy, and shot it. Probably not much more than that to this guy's mindset.

The woman who was killed was unfortunate enough to be in the path of the bullet. What do they call that in wartime? Collateral damage?

God, I WISH these gun-toting dirtbags would improve their aim.

whatchuwant · December 2007

I would imagine the shooter and his intended victim are probably young- they don't think before they shoot and that's why they seriously frighten me....and I don't frighten easily.

This was a block away from me. It makes me sick to think that there are TONS of kids around (with the 3 schools right around the corner) while also thinking I'm a little paranoid that it IS those kids that are bringing that trouble.

Not for nothing, but on my way to work I pass by what seems like hundreds of kids coming out of the subway at Franklin. Point is, they're not necessarily local, neighborhood kids.

For the record I'm NOT saying this was done by one of them- but remember way back when you were in high school there were those kids that dropped out, yet they hung around the school because their friends/girlfriends/homies still went to school and they had nothing better to do but hang around???

Just sayin!

anonymous · December 2007

Subject: Eastern Parkway shooting Dec. 15th

First and foremost, my heart goes out to Carol's family, and those close to her in the neighborhood.

I implore anyone reading to come together as a community and support this family and the police.

I love living here and think that it is a beautiful home with beautiful people, but I have seen us throw up our hands and leave after events like this over the years. What happened is nothing short of a tragedy, but it would only add insult to injury to let it become something that defines our sense of this place. There are alot of good hearts on these blocks, and we need to let eachother know that this is still true.

What happened to double dutch and dominoes on the sidewalks?

bendy broad · December 2007

Subject: Re: Eastern Parkway shooting Dec. 15th

Anonymous wrote: There are alot of good hearts on these blocks, and we need to let eachother know that this is still true.

I am 100% with you on this.

I'm putting aside my fear of being mocked or called naive. I can't help but think to respond the way I would if anyone I knew lost a family member: help them take care of their everyday needs, because when you're grieving, you stop thinking about those things. I know that when I was grieving years ago, I didn't think to eat unless someone actually brought me food. I also know that one of my primary ways of taking care of others is to cook for them. So, to me, it is only logical to bring the Simon-Hayes family some food-- a meal that is easily frozen in case lots of other friends and neighbors bring food as well. I'm sure over the next few months, it will help them to have a freezer full of home-cooked meals.

I'm sure many of you respond to grief differently and take care of others differently, so maybe each of us can think of some small gesture to let them know that, as our anonymous guest posted, there are still good hearts in the community, and the good hearts are with them. I think they need to feel that now more than ever.

capt. planet · December 2007

Here is more from Errol in today's Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/columnists/louis/index.html

Let's keep the pressure on. Only continued pressure over time on our electeds and police with change the negative perceptions of Crown Heights.

crownheightscoalition · December 2007

Capt. Planet wrote: Let's keep the pressure on. Only continued pressure over time on our electeds and police with change the negative perceptions of Crown Heights.

remember
the letter writing campaign is still going on
it's one way to make your voice heard
http://chcoalition.googlepages.com/crownheightswrites

jayce · December 2007

Subject: Re: Eastern Parkway shooting Dec. 15th

Bendy Broad wrote: [quote=Anonymous] There are alot of good hearts on these blocks, and we need to let eachother know that this is still true.

I am 100% with you on this.

I'm putting aside my fear of being mocked or called naive. I can't help but think to respond the way I would if anyone I knew lost a family member: help them take care of their everyday needs, because when you're grieving, you stop thinking about those things. I know that when I was grieving years ago, I didn't think to eat unless someone actually brought me food. I also know that one of my primary ways of taking care of others is to cook for them. So, to me, it is only logical to bring the Simon-Hayes family some food-- a meal that is easily frozen in case lots of other friends and neighbors bring food as well. I'm sure over the next few months, it will help them to have a freezer full of home-cooked meals.

I'm sure many of you respond to grief differently and take care of others differently, so maybe each of us can think of some small gesture to let them know that, as our anonymous guest posted, there are still good hearts in the community, and the good hearts are with them. I think they need to feel that now more than ever.

if you haven't gone over that way yet, I would love to join you when I get back tomorrow. thanks for reminding me at least what my neighborhood really means to me.

errol · December 2007

Subject: NYPD seeking help to solve killing on Eastern Parkway

NYPD has released the name, description and photo of a man that detectives want to speak with about this case. Please take a moment to look at
http://savebrooklynnow.blogspot.com/2007/12/wanted-darius-duberry.html

bendy broad · December 2007

Lawmakers say they want to make sure Kieron [Carol's 9-year-old son] has the money to go to college one day. They say it won't replace the permanent loss of his mother, but it will help him lead the life his mother would have wanted for him.

A fund is also being set up to cover funeral costs. Sending the body of Simon-Hayes to her native Grenada could cost as much as $10,000 by some estimates.

Donations for the family can be sent to Washington Mutual Bank, located at 391 Eastern Parkway. Make checks payable to: Alwin Simon, for the benefit of Kieron McEwen (son of Carol Simon-Hayes).

Educational Fund #: 4413879862
Funeral Fund #: 4413879870

Contact telephone numbers:
Clarence McEwen - (917) 402-2184
Alwin Simon - (917) 518-7135
Shawn Fortune - (347) 432-8235
Ray Martin - (646) 942-3180

info culled from this article: http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=9&aid=76779

anonymous · December 2007

Subject: Re: NYPD seeking help to solve killing on Eastern Parkway

Errol wrote: NYPD has released the name, description and photo of a man that detectives want to speak with about this case. Please take a moment to look at
http://savebrooklynnow.blogspot.com/2007/12/wanted-darius-duberry.html

From NYT this morning, suspect arrested in Georgia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/nyregion/24arrest.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=nyregion&adxnnlx=1198508580-6ufuAKLIuefTCv4QevH4YA

Good job by the NYPD and thank you to the authorities in Georgia. I hope this eventually leads to a conviction.

R.I.P. Carol Simon: Stray Bullet @ 368 Eastern Parkway

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