Charles HumphreyNORFOLK
Several hundred people gathered Monday night at a candlelight vigil on the site where Maury High School star athlete Charles Humphrey was gunned down. They wiped away tears, held hands and shared memories of the popular 18-year-old football player.
A tree near where Humphrey was shot early Sunday morning, as well as a mailbox and part of the street itself, had been turned into a memorial across the street from the Park Place Methodist Church at Colonial Avenue and 34th Street, adorned with balloons, handwritten messages and teddy bears.
A woman who identified herself as “Aunt Diane” spoke to a crowd holding candles aloft.
“It is time to stop,” she said. “Feel the pain. See the blood. Death is permanent; there’s no waking up from this. Look around at all the love we have here. It is time to stop. It is time, y’all.”
Her words had many in the crowd nodding in agreement. Humphrey’s family looked on. Humphrey’s sister, Tiffany Humphrey, later said that Diane was not a blood relative but one of his many friends.
Police reported nothing new Monday in their hunt for Humphrey’s killer. He was shot around 1 a.m. Sunday. His sister said he’d been at a party in the neighborhood. The basketball and football captain at Maury was the sixth South Hampton Roads football player to be shot in the past 10 months.
Earlier Monday, family, friends, teachers, coaches and Maury’s principal surrounded Humphrey’s dazed parents in their apartment in Young Terrace, planning a memorial service held in a church that night.
A coach said he needed a projector to show a game highlight reel he had made to send to colleges on Humphrey’s behalf. Now it would be used to eulogize the teen.
His parents, Linda Humphrey and Charles Carpenter, said little. Tiffany Humphrey paused to call police with a tip about a girl who somebody said was heard bragging about the killing.
Denise Woodson, an outreach director of the Urban Community Church in Norfolk, offered a closing word. The group held hands in a circle. “Wrap your arms, like you know how to, around” the parents, Woodson prayed.
Outside, Tiffany Humphrey fretted with Humphrey’s father about getting an older brother leave from Marine Corps boot camp to attend the funeral.
“Our life will never be the same after this,” she said. “Nothing will ever be the same.”
She urged the public to tell investigators what they know.
At Maury, the halls were unusually quiet – and tearful – students said.
“Things getting crazy – too crazy,” said Isaiah Wilson, a junior. “That would be the last thing you’d expect to happen to Charles.”
Some parents said they were concerned about the upheaval this year at the school , which has seen fights and increased security.
“Ever since we found out they have gangs over here or whatever, I’ve always worried,” said Monica Harvey, the mother of a freshman girl.
She said she’d like to see more security at the school but then questioned whether it would solve the problem.
“They can’t follow them home,” she said.
In the neighborhood, advocates for Park Place complained anew about a lack of progress against its problems with crime and blight.
The city’s housing authority has spent $31.8 million in 35 years trying to revitalize the community, said Jim Gehman, the authority’s assistant executive director.
“You would think after spending all of that money, that this would be a healthy neighborhood,” said Alton Robinson, president of the Park Place Civic League. “But it’s not.”
According to the 2000 census, the neighborhood had 2,983 housing units, including apartments. The housing authority has acquired 297 properties, demolished 155, provided 607 loans for property rehabilitation and sold or developed 149 properties for new homes, according to Gehman. The housing authority has also done streetscape improvements along several streets.
“There are some nice, new homes here,” Robinson said . “But when you look at the social and economic status of the community, you don’t see much change.”
While police have reduced illegal drug dealing, he said, gang activity is rising.
The Norfolk Police Department’s online crime statistics show that within half a mile, of the shooting , nine aggravated assaults, six robberies and a rape were reported in the past 90 days.
Officer Chris Amos, a police spokesman, said the community has its crime issues but he cited neighborhood improvement efforts and added, “It’s not like it used to be. It used to be kind of very, very hectic.”
While FBI data shows that overall murders have leveled off nationally, a December study by Northeastern University in Boston concluded that the number of young black men who either killed or were killed in shootings has risen dramatically this decade.
In 2007, for instance, 426 black youths between 14 and 17 were killed, a 40 percent increase since 2000, The Associated Press quoted the report.
But those are numbers. Tiffany Humphrey talked about her little brother and how excited he was about going next year to St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C., to play football and learn a trade.
“All he kept saying was he was almost there,” Tiffany Humphrey said. “He was ready to graduate. He wanted to get out of here.”
Now she has to explain to her 5-year-old daughter why a favorite uncle won’t be around.
“It seemed everybody liked him,” said his father, the “Big Charles” to his son’s “Little Charles” nickname. “Nobody can understand why this happened to him.”
“He was what young men out here should strive for,” Tiffany Humphrey said. “People need to put down their guns, go to school.”
She said all she knows about what happened was that her brother was with friends leaving a party a few blocks from the shooting. Carlos Howard, a community advocate who owns a nearby funeral home, said students told him words were exchanged after the party and several guns were pulled. Charles Humphrey was running down the street when hit, Howard was told.
Howard blamed parents for lax supervision and city leaders for not listening to students and their parents and for not meeting their needs for activities that could keep them out of gangs, such as by providing money to reopen a nearby Boys & Girls Club.
“These children see that no one cares about them,” Howard said.
He lamented that the students seemed to think such killings are a normal part of life. “There is nothing normal about kids pulling guns and chasing down someone like that,” he said, his voice rising.
Monday morning, the opening of the $7.4 million Norview Community Center was more muted than it might have been because of the shooting.
Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot asked for a moment of silence for Humphrey. He said he was struck watching a television interview of a friend of Humphrey’s.
“The young man said, 'Charles Humphrey was going to make it out, but it’s too late for me,’ ” Burfoot said. “That struck me. I said, how’s it too late for him? And to make it out of what? To make it out of his community?
“That’s a real problem we’re facing when we have young people who feel that there’s no hope and they are all of 19 years old.”
Pilot writers Amy Jeter and Harry Minium contributed to this report.
Matthew Bowers, (757) 222-3893, matthew.bowers@pilotonline.com
Jim Washington, (757) 446-2536, jim.washington@pilotonline.com
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Although I believe that
Although I believe that races plays an important role in this sad crime I think that people fail to look at it from both sides. It is NOT just african american parents who allow their children to be out past 11pm it is just African American males who often to have worry about their safety when leaving the party or gathering they were attending. I attended Maury High school and often hung out with white and black students there. I often attended all white parties that consisted of drinking and drug use that lasted well beyond 1am but are we all crying where are the parents then when these white students get in their cars and drive home drunk possibly killing someone. No you do not but when I when black child does it they have no parents and blame them for allowing there chidren to be out past 11pm. I believe that I am a good person with good parents and there were times when I was out past 11pm. I believe that the time the child was out is a small factor when looking at the bigger picture of the violence going on in these neighborhoods.
Doing What I have To In Order To Save My Own
I am not dancing nor am I walking on eggshells. First off, the world would be a better place if people took time out to raise their own children, but unfortunately thats not whats happening, so before I let his/her child take my child out, I WILL step up & do what I have to do to be WHATEVER I CAN BE to whomever, to that I can ensure that my baby can go to school, a movie, a dance, or whever she chooses to go & not be worried that someone is going to harm her. Second, yes it was late @ night, but why should people live during the day & leave the night to the hoodlums & thugs. NO matter what time it was, this young man, who was 18 & old enough to be out past curfew, had the right to live. He didnt deserve to die because he was out enjoying himself. As for race, its not a black thing either because no matter how far away you move from whatever neighborhood, death still affects all of us. It could have been anyone's child. Because he was black didnt make him a target.
whomever
shot & killed this young man is guilty of the what Ryan Frederick is guilty of doing; taking some one's life. My condolences to his family & friends.
It's All About You Point of View
I'm a 17 year old that attends Granby High School. I experience first hand everyday the type of kids that you all so quickly stereo type. From the middle class population in Hampton Roads it just seems like another bad nieghborhood with some more bad kids, from the result of bad parenting. I have to disagree. I don't think the two people who commented before me realize what it's like to grow up in a society with peers and media influences like we have now. When everyone in your school reps one gang, and they all live in your neighborhood it's hard to escape. Try fighting a current moving that fast, and that strong. Most kids end up giving up the fight and moving along with it. When you grow up worrying about being shot or jumped all those people standing behind you sounds pretty reassuring. It's hard to have hope when the age of 25 is another year to the rest of the world, but it's a dream for you. It's not guarenteed. Witht the influence from the media and our peers it's hard to ignore. Most of these kids are just mis-led, but it goes on for so long with no one to turn to that they can truely trust, no good role models. From there it rapidly escalates from a scared teenager with n
Nothing will change...
Supporting the girls and boys clubs(which is nothing more than a gathering place for the younger gang members) or adding more police or toughening crime laws will NOT change a thing. Only when KIDS stop having KIDS will things change. Look at the young man's mother. She had no problem allowing her high school kid to be outside after midnight because more than likely she was allowed to do the same thing. Kids have no one to look up to anymore or anyone to enforce positive habits that will carry them through life. People will always yell out racism or we need more social programs when things like this happen, but go back and read the article again. THE PILOT did not change any quotes into proper english. They printed what was said. Pull your pants up, get off your back, get your education and stay inside. It's harder to get shot behind four walls. I would bet the house that if Kids having Kids was stopped this type of behavior would eventually go away.
We're already doing OUR part
What can we as parents do? Here's a great idea. Raise your OWN child!!! My kid is actively parented by her mom and me. We are one of those broken homes due to divorce. However, we BOTH take an active role in rearing OUR child. We both communicate between each other and with OUR child. Don't tell me that we need to raise someone else's kid too. Don't tell me that another community center will save the day. This young man died because of a sub-culture. He wasn't a star or a role model. He was turning his life around? Why does a child of such young age need to turn his life around? What happened that his family didn't take an active role in his life to keep him in line? Some kids will be bad no matter the positive influences. Most will not! Look around your taxpayer subsidized neighborhood. Look at the clothing! Listen to the music! Look no further than to the multitudes of children with NO father figure at all. Government programs do NOT replace a proper family. If you have them then YOU raise them!!!
Quit your tippy toeing....
If this isn't a black issue,then why did the writer of this article quote from the FBI statistics on the rise of crime among black males ?
Wake up.It is a black issue !! White people left Park Place years ago because of the violence !!! And the more education blacks get, the more they too are leaving Park Place ! Even the deceased was looking forward to getting out thanks to acceptance to college !!!!
@ The End of the Day
When its all said & done this isnt a black thing, a white thing, it's not even a race thing. Its a what Can WE Do as PARENTS THING because right now our children arent doing it for themselves. It is so sad that a promising young man had to lose his life over foolishness out in the street. But whats even sadder is that the fact that one of his peers made the statemnet that its too late for him & he is only 19. Thats the attitide and thougts that turn our children into cold killers with no respect for life. So instead of throwing blame & WRITING blogs about shoulda, woulda, coulda or who should be doin what, WE THE ADULTS need to stop shaking our heads & do something to help our babies want to do it for themselves. Even if its not your child still, because look what happens to our child when the next child doesnt care. My heart goes out to all those affected by this tragedy. However @ the end of the day, we the ones that need prayer now. He's safe.
Another senseless tragedy
My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Charles Humphrey. May you all be comforted in your time of grief.
Reedo3000: what article did you read?
Only half of this article was about this tragic event. The rest covered the state of the Park Place neighborhood, and the lack of progress in deterring crime and blight despite money and time spent by the city to make improvements. Until parents take responsibility for their children, this will continue to happen, and gang activity will continue to flourish. Park Place is just like hundreds of other neighborhoods around the country where the residents have allowed the thug mentality to take over. Snitching is unacceptable, but letting someone get away with murder is okay. If someone tries to pull themselves out of the hopelessness, they are betraying their heritage. You come on now. Someone has allowed this to happen. I don't think the city is to blame. It has been going on for far too long.
Somebody say it.
I can't imagine how many comments have been taken down that spoke the truth. Remember the truth hurts and needs to be said. If there's an elephant in the room you should always introduce it. Situations like this are no time to be politically correct. Is there anything the victims had in common that have been tragically taken from us over the years? In order to get answers you have to ask tough questions and spare peoples feelings. I'll say it again the truth hurts. R.I.P.
I agree
I agree with some of the bloggers on this site. I don't care that he was eighteen years old. He was not living on his own or had a job to take care of himself, so he should have been home in bed by 11pm. When I got older I had to live by my parents rule because I was not on my own and if they wanted their doors locked at ll pm you better be home before they were locked. Just a warning to kids who want to make it out in the world. If you are on the right track don't hang with people or places where they don't think like you. Because of jealousy, come death to the ones who can't leave the so call friends behind. Just look at Michael Vick. I know he wished he did.
Declare all out war on Gangs!
Use the military and whatever else to rid our streets of gangs! Once the word gets out that gangs will be obliterated (i.e. if it involves deadly force, then let's use it), then maybe, just maybe we can have peace on the streets again. People should rat on the gang leaders, etc.,...they are a menace that needs to be dealt with severly. We need to take control of our streets even if it means curfews, ID checks, etc., a little inconvenience on our liberties is the only way to crush this menace.
Whom to blame?
There have been three other deaths in the late hours recently as well. Unfortunately we've also seen the deaths of an 18, 20 and 25 year old. So perhaps the problem is not guns or gangs, but the inexperience and immaturity of youth. Let's look at the deaths of these young people as well and fix the causes of their deaths.
I've been curious on the statistics on how many people each year are killed by excessive speeding and DUI's. How do those numbers compare to the killings that occur because of gangs or suspected gang violence?
Sad but its life
Let me first start off by saying yes its sad the person died. But I have my doubts he was "slain" (clever words choosen by the pilot) More likely he was out with the wrong people at night and got into a conflit with them. I can say that if you are out at 1am in Park Place, you are up to no good. Also we are not talking about some little kid, we are talking about an adult.
Where are the parents in all of this? The city has thrown millions and millions of dollars to provide better lives for african americans (and anyone in those areas) in this city. Parents need to step up! Look at areas like Larchmont and Ghent. Your lucky if the city allows for an overgrown field for a park. In Park Place you have state of the art recreation centers, community pools, support centers and countless other places to help the community. Everything is in place for the people to be safe and lead successful lives. People look for something or someone to blame. Its not the goverments job to baby sit and make sure kids dont lead criminal lives. Its the parents.
Prehaps this teen was in the wrong place at the wrong time. However I think everyone knows that you should not be out in Park Place or anywhere
If a young men were forced to pay child support....
When the african-american community and the gov't. starts demanding accountibility of young black men to be responsible for raising their own kids, you will continue to see young black men kill each other. If a young man were forced to pay child support, they would be forced to work wherever they could to pay the bill, be more inclined to get an education to get out of the job they hate, be more inclined to vote for leaders that affect their family, be more inclined to go to church to be a role model for their children, be a visual role model to other young men around them, be more concerned with crime around the neighborhood they raise their children in, provide the mentoring & discipline a child needs to succeed and stay in school, and support their brothers who are doing the same as them. This society has completely lost the importance of a real man in the family setting and allowed boys to escape their responsibilities, left grandmother's to raise their kids, and the gov't. gauge their future. But someone else will always be at fault.
What do you get when kids have kids?
What do you get when kids have kids? You eventually get kids with "friends" for parents and "parents" for grandparents. We have allowed our kids the freedom to be independent and "grown" before they have a concept of "personal responsibility". We have given kids "rights" but allow them the protection of responsibility because they are a "minor" and then fail to punish the parents appropriately. Kids are given the perception that they are "entitled" to be the next Lil Wayne, or Dwayne Wade without ever EARNING it. They don't want to start at Burger King, etc. anymore because they need to get "paid"? The gov't. supports this mentality when they dispense welfare as an "entitlement" and not hold our men to a higher level of responsibility. Society has allowed men to bear multiple kids and then escape the responsibility of being a role model. BTW, ANYONE can get a college education these days. That is one "entitlement" that even the gov't. easily supports.
More "the govt.is a nanny" nonsense
"Gangs prey on kids of the single parents who work 10-12 hr. days to compensate for the lack of 2 parent's income. The Girl's club provided structure for these at-risk kids. It used to be an entire village that raised a child. Now it's "not my problem"?
I grew up in Norfolk,and no "village" raised me. And if it takes a Girls Club to provide structure for kids,then how did kids who came up during the Great Depression from homes with only one parent manage to grow up and not be criminals?
Saddened.......
To think that there is an empty space in another home. Having an only child and going through this would be the end to my life. At 36, he's still asking to hear my thoughts! A parents JOB starts on day 1 of that child's life and continues daily till they have become responsible enough to become a citizen contributing to the community. Until then they are STILL your JOB. Maybe the biggest one and the least appreciated. A privilege! Too late to rethink it when they are influenced by others whom have no training or direction. The domino affect has already begun. Why not start a new trend of doing our very best for one's to be proud of instead of waiting at the jail to bail or cemetery to weep!
comment section
I just read a news story where a muslim guy won $250,000 in a settlement from TSA and JetBlue airlines because he was asked to cover his t-shirt (written in arabic "We will not be silent") in an American airport that made some passengers uneasy. Now pilotonline.com has this comment section to allow it's readers to post opinion and someone, somewhere decides which ones are politically correct enough to make the page. Two of mine in the past 12 hours have been dis-allowed and I didn't think they were that out-of-line. I certainly understand that some are probably over the top comments, but as some will notice I post here fairly regualrly and try to make my points without being too dramatic. I wish I had saved my posts and would love to have someone explain why they were deleted. This story is very passionate and some things that need to said are coming to light. It's time to stop hiding behind blame and take responsibility for our actions.