It's Easy to Step Outside

Five St. Louis City residents were shot yesterday in four separate shootings between 5:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., the very span of time during which a smoking ban would most often put bar and restaurant patrons out on the sidewalk. The Post story seems to indicate that these people just happened to be outside and were the victims of random violence. Is it prudent to put bar and restaurant patrons outside given the real possibility of lethal, random violence? I would feel safer inside a bar with good air filtration than standing on the street after dark in St. Louis.

"The second shooting happened at 8:09 p.m. Thursday in the 700 block of Aubert Avenue near the intersection of North Kingshighway and Delmar Boulevard. A 31-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman told police that they were outside when suspects began firing shots at them. The man was shot in the knee and the woman was shot in her shoulder. Both were taken to an area hospital where they are listed in stable condition.

The third shooting happened at 8:51 p.m. Thursday in the 3200 block of Carter Avenue near the intersection of North Florissant Avenue and North Grand Boulevard. A 35-year-old man told police that he was outside when a gunman came out of an alley and shot him several times in the back. The victim is in stable condition at an area hospital."

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/E5A7B5766E41FF1C862576430064656A?OpenDocument