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Old 09-19-2018, 10:43 AM  
gblowfish gblowfish is offline
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When Gun Violence Strikes Close to Home

One of my very best friends is a well known musician in St. Louis. He's been working on a new album, and the guy who plays piano on several of the tracks is a guy named Tom Townsend. Tom and my friend worked in St. Louis advertising together for 20 plus years. Anyway, Tom just did the piano tracks last week. Tuesday morning he was carjacked and shot in the face near Forest Park. He's in Barnes Hospital in critical condition.

I've never met Tom, but I've heard my friend talk about him a lot over the years. The guy is a saint. Literally a saint. He started a music scholarship program at Savannah Arts College after his 21 year old son was killed in a car accident down there. And in St. Louis, he started a foundation "Pianos for People" that acquires old pianos, fixes them up, and gifts them to poor kids who couldn't afford one otherwise, and gives the kids free piano lessons.

Why good people like this get shot in the face is something I'll never understand. There is just so much evil in the world. Please put in a good word for Tom and for my friend. Hopefully he'll live through this.

Story is here:

ST. LOUIS • A man who founded a nonprofit that brings pianos to families who might not otherwise be able to afford them was shot early Tuesday in an apparent carjacking attempt, police and a colleague said.

The man suffered a critical injury and may need reconstructive surgery to his face.

Sheena Duncan, executive director of Pianos for People, identified the victim as the nonprofit’s founder, Tom Townsend.

Townsend was shot in the neck just after midnight Monday while he was in the 700 block of South Skinker Boulevard, police said. He told police he was shot while someone tried to carjack his 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Because he was so badly injured, he couldn’t give officers any more information, police said.

He was taken to a hospital, and Duncan said family believe he will need to remain there for at least two weeks and undergo surgery.

“He works so tirelessly to break down barriers and create opportunities, so for him to be a victim of senseless violence is so tragic,” Duncan said.

Townsend founded Pianos for People in 2012 in memory of his son Alex, a talented pianist who was killed in a car accident at 21.

Pianos for People refurbishes old pianos and gives them away, and also provides free lessons and workshops to more than 200 young students at locations in south St. Louis and in Ferguson. The nonprofit also hosts music camps for children.

“(Townsend is) a bundle of energy and a positive life force,” Duncan said. “He’s a talented musician who has also had a successful career in advertising, (and) he’s a man on the go constantly who shows interest and compassion that knows no bounds. He’s extraordinary, and we’re devastated that he’s having to go through such a thing.”

Duncan said that anyone wanting to show support for Townsend can make a donation to his nonprofit at pianosforpeople.org.

The scene of the shooting isn’t far from the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, where a spate of crimes involving guns has compelled administrators to email parents to remind them of security measures in place to protect students.

On Sunday, armed suspects approached a student and demanded his car keys in the 5900 block of Waterman Boulevard. Last Wednesday, a shooting took place at the Delmar Loop Transit Center, where two people were injured

Last edited by gblowfish; 09-19-2018 at 10:58 AM..
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Old 09-19-2018, 04:10 PM   #16
Baby Lee Baby Lee is offline
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Originally Posted by Eleazar View Post
StL gonna StL
This is unfortunate, but this particular accident happened in one of the nicest and most crime-free spots one can imagine. I wouldn't believe it possible, except the midnight hour. It's on a busy street across from the Forest Park golf course fairway, and right next to 3-4 of the most expensive highrise condos around.

I've biked, walked, jogged, driven, golfed and just plain hung out within 10 feet of that spot more times than I can possibly count. Certainly driving and biking in the 1000s, golfing in the 100s.

It's very nice, and in the day very very busy. It's the main artery from the interstate to Washington University, and of course the main way into Forest Park across the street from WashU, just down the bottom of the hill.

When I first went to WashU law, I came --><-- close to renting an apartment on Rosebury RIGHT THERE, just one block in, behind the condos. But someone closed on it before I did, so I got a place on The Loop instead. I never once had any criminal incident, living on The Loop for 7 years, and it's much less safe than this intersection.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6374...7i13312!8i6656
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Old 09-19-2018, 05:31 PM   #17
Chiefaholic Chiefaholic is offline
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Originally Posted by scho63 View Post
Prayers for your friend's friend and we are TOO TOLERANT of these animals that go in and out of the system too easily only to repeat horrible crimes.
"Sho63 just called everybody in the world of whatever race that did this an animal. Sho63 is obviously a racist after a comment like this. We found a picture of this wonderful person while he was in grade school to share with the general public. " [/CNN]
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Old 09-19-2018, 06:10 PM   #18
SAUTO SAUTO is offline
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Why does it say they thought Alex was protecting him?
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Old 09-19-2018, 06:57 PM   #19
Chief Pote Chief Pote is offline
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Originally Posted by SAUTO View Post
Why does it say they thought Alex was protecting him?
His son "Alex" was killed in an auto accident.
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Old 09-19-2018, 08:14 PM   #20
Titty Meat Titty Meat is offline
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Sorry for your loss George. I've witnessed innocent people 2 different times get shot and killed since I've lived in Kansas City.
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Old 09-19-2018, 08:21 PM   #21
Bwana Bwana is offline
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Sorry to hear about your friend George, I hope he comes out of it ok.

On a side note, I'm happy nobody has gone full idiot DC in this thread.
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Old 09-19-2018, 08:31 PM   #22
Titty Meat Titty Meat is offline
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Heres what's currently going on in my neighborhood. 11-12 yr old kids breaking into cars/homes broad daylight. It's been in the 90s how hard is it not to spot kids who are alone dressed like it's the winter? How have they not been arrested? I'm affraid when confronted by the neighbors this could end up kinda like the story you shared George or when one of my neighbors has no choice but to defend themselves the media will jump all over them. It's a ****ed up world we live in the mentality in Urban areas is truly baffling. Scho is right these people behave like animals.
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Old 09-19-2018, 09:57 PM   #23
LiL stumppy LiL stumppy is offline
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Originally Posted by Baby Lee View Post
This is unfortunate, but this particular accident happened in one of the nicest and most crime-free spots one can imagine. I wouldn't believe it possible, except the midnight hour. It's on a busy street across from the Forest Park golf course fairway, and right next to 3-4 of the most expensive highrise condos around.

I've biked, walked, jogged, driven, golfed and just plain hung out within 10 feet of that spot more times than I can possibly count. Certainly driving and biking in the 1000s, golfing in the 100s.

It's very nice, and in the day very very busy. It's the main artery from the interstate to Washington University, and of course the main way into Forest Park across the street from WashU, just down the bottom of the hill.

When I first went to WashU law, I came --><-- close to renting an apartment on Rosebury RIGHT THERE, just one block in, behind the condos. But someone closed on it before I did, so I got a place on The Loop instead. I never once had any criminal incident, living on The Loop for 7 years, and it's much less safe than this intersection.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6374...7i13312!8i6656
I currently live off Union and Pershing. The area by WashU is very nice, however a block north past Delmare things get rough very quick as you know, and it seems things are moving more south. 100 yards south east of me and you have million dollar homes, but two blocks north and you begin to enter into one of the most poverished, crime ridden areas of St. Louis. It truley is a unique landscape.
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Old 09-19-2018, 10:35 PM   #24
Baby Lee Baby Lee is offline
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Originally Posted by LiL stumppy View Post
I currently live off Union and Pershing. The area by WashU is very nice, however a block north past Delmare things get rough very quick as you know, and it seems things are moving more south. 100 yards south east of me and you have million dollar homes, but two blocks north and you begin to enter into one of the most poverished, crime ridden areas of St. Louis. It truley is a unique landscape.
Oh, I well know. I lived right above what is now Mission Taco and Gyro Grill on Delmar, across from the old SWBell building and next to the Shell station. Back then it was the Delmar Lounge and Thai Gai Yang Cafe.

In law school, my commute was walking down to the middle of The Loop and taking the Ackert walkway to WashU. Very nice, very safe.

When I started interning, then moved onto my employment, it was up in Alton/Wood River, so I drove north on Skinker to 367, then up and across the river. That might be the roughest stretch of road in St. Louis, Pine Lawn, Moline Acres, Jennings, all of it.

But back when I lived there, I always felt safe, particularly within walking distance of my apartment. Metrolink was fairly new, and I'd often drag a rolling suitcase, while dressed in a full suit, down to Delmar Station to go up to Lambert, even at 5am.

Metrolink and their shitty turf war between the city and county has really dropped the ball on light rail security, and the extension into Clayton resulting in WashU station right at FPP and Skinker has brought the security risks even closer.

Last edited by Baby Lee; 09-19-2018 at 10:42 PM..
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Old 09-20-2018, 03:51 AM   #25
TwistedChief TwistedChief is offline
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Ugh. Terrible to hear, George, but at least glad he's pulling through.
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