Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Disturbing

There was a time when David Jeffries was an up-and-coming running back on the Monessen High School football team. I saw him play a couple times and he had skills. He was also pegged to be a key contributor in basketball. Looks like his playing days are over.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/03-18-Monessen-Gang-Violence

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

MY CHILD HAS PLAYED SPORTS WITH DAVID SINCE THEY WERE 5 YEARS OLD AND DAVID IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST NATURAL TALENTED BOYS THAT I HAVE WATCHED PLAYED BALL. BUT, WHO CARES ABOUT SPORTS NOW... LET'S NOT FORGET THAT DAVID IS STILL SOMEONES SON, BROTHER AND FATHER AND THAT HE IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. I PRAY THAT HE IS WRONGLY ACCUSED AND I FEEL THAT AS A RESIDENT OF MONESSEN WE HAVE FAILED ANOTHER CHILD. THE SAYING "IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD" IS WHAT WHAT MISSED IN MONESSEN. OUR COMMUNITY IS ACHING TODAY AND MY HEART GOES UT TO HIS MOTHER WHO IS LIVING A NIGHTMARE RIGHT NOW. THIS COULD BE ANYONES SON AND IT IS TIME THAT ALL THE COMMUNITIES GET TOGETHER TO HELP ALL OUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE REMEMBER DAVID IS A CHILD...

Anonymous said...

Understandably so, however he did not play hooky, steal some candy but tried to take someones life. Now he may be innocent, i don't know but from what i read he is not. The young man is 17 and he knows the difference between right and wrong. Personnally I know some of the guys from Monessen who take an active role in trying to mentor these young men but they choose not to listen. I am from washington and for every 1 from monessen their is 2 from wash. Until the courts hold these people responsible with with more stringent sentences they will continue to do the things they do. By the way my I am tired of reading about this senseless violence and he should be held accountable. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this is the case with young Mr. Jeffries, but just today I read a VERY disturbing new report that indicated that for births in 2007, 40% were born out of wedlock!!! A country is which 40% of children are born out of wedlock is in serious, serious trouble. Until THAT problem is resolved, and men become husbands and fathers, and women stop having babies to men who are unwilling to be husbands and fathers, anything that we do will just be a band aid anyway. Sorry to the original poster, but it should NOT take a "village" to raise a child. A loving mother and father, married to each other is the best way to raise a child, and when 40% of the population reject that notion, Lord help those children, and Lord help the rest of us too.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, blame Monessen, blame the city, blame the school, blame the goverment....

Post 1 screams what is wrong with the people in this world, IT IS NOT EVERYONE ELSES FAULT!!!!

2 people chose to bring this CRIMINAL into the world. If they had done their job as parents then he would not be in the trouble he is today. At 17 years old he absolutely should have known better than to hang with the hoods he was hanging with. He should have known better than to be carrying a gun. He should have known better than to shoot it.

I feel horrible for the kid, but at the same time I hope he never sees the light of day again. Maybe next time its my kid he shoots.

Anonymous said...

This was another act of retaliation in the escalating problem between youths in Donora and Monessen. David was one of three from Monessen that was shot at by a Donora individual - David was not hit by a bullet, but chose to continue this horrific cycle by retaliating and shooting this person that has supposedly been involved in the ongoing saga. Believe me I am not making excuses, but I don't buy the story that the victim was in Monessen to give someone a ride. These boys from both towns, continue to go into the other town looking for trouble. Something has to be done to stop this or some innocent person is going to be hurt.

Anonymous said...

AMEN anon...

I am personally so sick and tired of people blaming the schools, blaming the community, blaming law enforcement...blaming everyone except the parents and the family. When this type of thing happens the blame lies squarely at the feet of the individual pulling the trigger and the parents that are supposed to be raising these individuals. It is no one elses fault...look in the mirror.

Anonymous said...

I would bet my last dollar his Dad isn't around. He needed his rear end beat years ago.

Dale Lolley said...

This "it takes a village" liberal bullcrap is just that, bullcrap.
It takes parents and family to raise a child.
When the village starts raising children, you end up with a bunch of village idiots.

Anonymous said...

Davids father died when he was a young child. Davids mom worked hard to keep a roof over his head and food on the table. She worked hard to keep off welfare. As David grew older, he got involved with the wrong crowd. He was a good kid until 2 years ago when he started getting into trouble. What did you want here to do? I want to know for my own sake....

Anonymous said...

If everyone you know is doing it, what makes you the exception? Get him out of this gang ridden city and put him somewhere where he can get his priorities straight. There's lots of towns/cities close that do not have this gang violence.

Anonymous said...

Yea there are some thugs in Monessen who think they are Al Pichino in Scar Face, but believe me the majority of kids in Monessen are good kids who care about their grades and enjoy playing sports and do the right thing.