Chad Andrew, 22

rip

there a lot of trouble in this area, especially for nap crips

i am disgusted by this i live right by this i heard all those gunshots and i went outside to see what was going on i saw this young man laying in the gas station not covered up and he laid there up until 7:30 am it sickens me that police can allow our children to be murdered like this who ever did this is a coward and you will be revealed because you are going to talk about this i feel for his mom i also lost my son right across the street from this gas station every weekend it would be a gangfest at this valero gas station and the police would not break it up and at this time when this young man was there it was not alot of people i saw the other mom run through the yellow tape and ask about her child the police told her to calm down it was just a car riddled with bullets and her son had been transported to the hospital but if she would of looked a few feet in front of her she would of also seen that mam it was not just a car it was the other young man's body laying there by the gas pump how cold were the officers and i watched the detective put 12 peices of paper down marking shell casings this is so sick why would anyone want to end this young man's life look at the last poster who left a comment he is a gang member his name says it all i wonder was it some one from hoover who killed this young man cowards are running so rampant all around here these days and to take a life is so personal you have decided to be judge and jury and end somebody's life all because you have no life and when it is your time it will be just as rough for you this young man had someone who loved and cared for him just like you have someone who cares and love you why is all i would like to ask had i been outside when these shots rang out i would have saw you and screamed dont you dare do what you are fixing to do the police knocked on my door and asked did i see anything i did not but i wish i could have saw those two suspects creeping outta of that alley i would have hollered at the top of my lungs that i see what you are fixing to do and hoped that would have saved that young man, animals is all i can call them how do you eat and sleep also i believe that there was some young women who kept driving back by at the time the gas station was taped off to see and when they drove by again for the 3rd time they had some guys in their back seat looking i heard folks like to come back to see the damage done well ladies in the green explorer i seen you drive by all the times you did and also with your friends in your back seat looking suspect dont worry your day will be soon god has a way of prevailing himself and it's a matter of time believe that.

— a grieving mom ...

First, why was it the polices fault?

Second, you seem to have an interesting post. But the lack of grammar and punctuation is so bad, I concentrated on figuring out what you were trying to say.

A grieving mom -

Have you called the police to report the green explorer? Did you get a license plate number? You should report that. it might help identify potential suspects.

This hurts my heart as I'm reading it... I was engaged to Chad..he was my high school sweetheart... in 2007 I moved away from Los Angeles and later got a job with the federal government in Northern California. I begged him to move up to Nor. Cal with me...but he wanted to stay in L.A because it was the only place he ever knew. Chad wasn't really a gang banger...he just associated and hung out with stupid people who wanted to be gang bangers..and were gang bangers.

I shouldn't have to come online to find out what the hell happened to someone I loved...someone I had only lost contact with for a few days... It's ridiculous! And for the people who say stop snitching ... I want you to try and tell someone that when IT'S YOU who's lost someone you loved.

Don't sit here and rant about the police not doing anything...sit here and rant about PARENTS who don't teach their children the difference between right and wrong..and when they're supposed to do the right thing! THEN MAYBE! JUST MAYBE we all can have a little justice.

R.i.p Chad Jarmel Andrew
May 4th,1988 - July 5th,2010

First I wanna say R.I.P.to Chad. He was loved by many and didn't deserve to die by the hands of another. Los Angeles Bloods and Crips Please stop the Violence. We as Black Women need our Black Men around. Stop killing each other and stop killing up our Race. Don't you know that Jail is already doing that......

— Kesha J., do you honestly think the sociopathic gangsters care what you say?

Face up to the fact that the gangsters are predators that are immune to logic. They kill because they like it. Violence is the norm for them.

Instead of begging them to stop the violence, why dont you start DEMANDING action by your elected representatives to tackle the many issues facing these killing fields.

@syscom3.......No I don't think that they care but I am entitled to say what I feel And I did so. It would take more than just my voice Demanding for Action to get some Satisfaction................

— Kesha J., start getting in the face of your elected leaders. And start telling your friends and neighbors to vote someone in this election day, who does not have their head in the past and wants to begin solving these problems.

Ask yourself the following:

Did they help to create a business climate that encourages economic growth?

Did they support efforts to clamp down hard on the barbarians who are destroying so many communities?

Do they support efforts to control illegal immigration?

Do they support an end to free trade and outsourcing?

Do they support an educational system that encourages academic success and holds the parents responsible for the grades their children receive?

@Keisha,

One voice turns into two, then four...

I think syscom's point is that it must start with people such as yourself. Make that demand, encourage others in your area to do so as well. The problem, or one of the problems is that too many smart, concerned people such as yourself sit by and watch what goes on but don't feel empowered enough to do anything about it. By demanding, and others like you, demanding action against what's destroying your neighborhood, you put pressure on the elected officials to do something to initiate change. Change is surely needed, do we agree?

What you all fail to realize is..that no matter what politician is office...and no matter who pleads to people ...it us up to the individual themselves to decide whether they want to take part in violence and gang affiliations. Stop blaming the lack of jobs and the education system...

The change starts at home with the parenting. Chad was a foster child for many years because his mother was using drugs.. he bounced from foster homes, to his older sister's houses...to his mom's house years later..and then between friends' houses & the streets.
In these streets and amongst these so called friends... he met members of the Neighborhood 40's crips... who he began to consider his family. They gave him food, they loaned him clothes... they gave him rides places..and some of the guy's parents even gave Chad jobs.

If Chad had grown up in a more nurturing environment...I probably would of never met him, & dated him.... (I met him as he wandered the streets one night while he was kicked out of his sister's house) ...if he would of had a nurturing family... he wouldn't of turned to the gangs for familial relationships!

The politicians providing a quality educational environment probably would of ensured that Chad would of graduated high school...enabling him to get a better job..but as I said before.. it all starts at home! Without good parenting an educational system is worthless... Parents help kids with their homework..parents emphasize how important an education is! Parents... teach their kids before kids reach school age...

Change starts at home.

Hey Turquoise, you are bang on! It's very nice and somewhat rare to hear someone coming from this culture speaking out so compellingly against the root cause of this horror, which is bad parenting. Whether you know it or not, you are a true leader. Keep up the good work and may God bless you.

— Turquoise, thank you for explaining the reasons why this individual was associated with sociopaths.

Even though he is a gangster, it seems he was dealt a bad deck of cards to start life with. I actually feel sorry for him.

I will say though that the lack of jobs and education does create the social climate where gangs can prosper. It's not an excuse, but you cannot deny that poverty and lack of opportunity is not a healthy condition.

Turquoise we have the exact same feelings on this subject. I hold the parents of these murderous thugs as much responsible, if not more so, than the actual killers. These gang bangers were once innocent beautiful babies who grew up without good parenting; without being taught to respect the laws and to have compassion for others. If you really, truly want to stop the killings start in your own homes, churches and parks. Make sure your child and the children around you do not turn into one of these monsters. Love them, educate them, teach them about God or your higher power and teach them to have love and respect for all people. It may be too late for the older ones but we can stop growing new gangsters today.

Turquois,

It's too bad your post can't be included in every case reported here. Your message is powerful and would benefit each and every person reading this blog.

Great posts, Turquoise, and while I agree with your opinion about parenting, it goes deeper than that, because many, if not most, of these don't have 2 competent parents, let alone 1. The out of wedlock birthrate in the black community is near 70%. 70%!!!! That is insane....so a very high percentage of these young males never even start with a father figure because the dead beat is already gone. So, while parenting is key, so is being raised in a stable family environment, i.e. mother AND father. For God's sake, if you can't afford kids, please don't have them, and learn that protection is your friend. It's really not that hard.

Turquoise and Chris you are both right on the mark. The black family has really broken down. These young black boys now fail to understand what it means to really be a man. They seem to think that taking someone’s life makes them a man. They only live for the moment, sell drugs and make some fast money, but choose not to look beyond that. They can plainly see that selling drugs leads to prison or early death and that's it. The black neighborhoods they live in were bought and built by their grandfathers and great grand fathers, real men, solid men who worked two or three jobs to provide for their families. Their payoff was being a homeowner and a good provider for their family and the pride that goes along with it. Hard work seems to be a thing of the past in the black community. These young guys want everything nice but don't want to work for it. They get a girl pregnant, she has his baby and gets government housing and he lives with her for free. So ladies please choose your mate wisely, think about what kind of provider and role model they will be for your children

I'm so glad my post didn't go unread....

I [was born in Los Angeles and moved away after the Rodney King Riots] ,grew up in a high class neighborhood in the Eastern Bay Area, I didn't move [back] to L.A till 2005...My mother raised me in a better neighborhood (while my dad was in jail) so I didn't have to witness (let alone hear about) the things she saw growing up in L.A (even though she also grew up in a better neighborhood in Los Angeles)

When I came to L.A/Inglewood I was picked on... because of my ethnicity (Puerto Rican& West Indian) and the fact I was more articulate than my classmates. Long story short... I became involved in the UCLA Gear Up Poetry club at Inglewood High school and later began reading poems and doing public speaking at the Santa Monica playhouse speaking out against the atrocities I witnessed during my 2 years (YES ONLY TWO) at Inglewood High School.

If people want change... we have to give as much as we can ( I'm not speaking monetary giving either) to help the cause.

Parenting classes, better sex education & more access to birth control (to prevent out of wedlock & teen pregnancies) , more after school programs (so many after school programs are being cut in our schools in California thus taking away many Urban Youth's safe havens from the streets!)

People are saying that these children need father figures...well what about a Paternal Program like Big Brother&Big Sister...but only one that gives children a Surrogate father!

There are so many ideas I could bounce around...but without anyone supporting them beyond words no action will ever be taken. When people see someone trying to do something like what I'm doing in their neighborhood they never open their door to them...they shoo them away!

Open your hearts,your arms, your doors, community centers,churches, and business fronts ....
everything must change in time.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chad-Jarmel-Andrew/148540331829100?v=wall#!/pages/Chad-Jarmel-Andrew/148540331829100?ref=ts

a facebook page in Chad's Memory

Turquoise, You are so awesome. I work with a youth group that helps underprivileged children; none of the children have fathers at home. Many of them become so attached to me, it's heart breaking. They are wonderful kids with so much potential. They just need the right people to help guide them. These homicide reports literally bring me to tears, I just can't believe the young ages of so many of the victims. I pray for the poor kids that grow up around that madness. You give me hope though, keep up the good work and God bless.

Its crazy how others can take someone else's life and dont feel no type of guilt about it. Chad was a wonderful person the whole 5 months that we were dating. It kills me to know that he is gone. Chad told me about his life but anyone that knew him wouldnt know what was going on in his because he always walked down the street with a smile on his face and his head held high, Chad wouldnt let nothing keep him down because he was trying to make something out of hisself and get out of these streets. Its funny because one night we were having this serious talk about life and he knew what was coming but I told him dont talk like that because you are here now and that is what matters the most. I will always love you CHAD JARMEL ANDREW... R.I.P

syscom3 i read your comment and its not about a period here or punctuation there as long as i commented from my heart thats what matters i wont get into what you said nor do i care i am so sorry for this young mans family i know all to well how it is to lose a child and suffer all that pain on a daily basis and your comments on this homicide report are really hurtful so let me end on that note before you comment that my son derserved to die because he was a gang member are i was a bad parent stop god bless this family and i hope your heart can begin to heal if possible. so sorry for your loss and i am not blaming the police i am simply saying that when this gas station get crowded with all of these gang members it is the police job to pu an end to the situation and not let it go on every weekend like they do instead of driving thru with sirens on get out of their cars and make these kids leave even the gas station attendants are scared of that mess going on but what can he do when it is just one person in the booth. and they are allways around stopping a homeless person but never at the gas station clearing out the real trouble thats all i am saying concerning the police.

where's the update on this?
Have suspects been named?
Have any arrests been made?
Has a motive been discovered?

Happy 23rd Birthday.