Who Murdered Bijan Shoushtari?

18-year old Bijan Shoushtari was a young man with a future.  I guess that all families feel that way about their children, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews or cousins.  But, you could sense something just a little special ... a little blessed ... a little hopeful ... if you ever spent time with Bijan. From church elders, to his kindergarten teacher, to former teammates at Hamilton High; all paint a picture of a young man who had promise and deep ties to the community.

He died this week.  18-years old.  And he went out with some friends less than a week ago ... and now he no longer walks the earth.  The police have no idea who did this evil deed.  Maybe you can help?!?

I write this blog from the greater Cincinnati area. I don't live in Los Angeles any longer. However, I know that many who read this blog do live in Los Angeles ... so it is on that infinitesimal chance that those who read my blog may know something that I post this video report from a local newscast in the area.

Bijan Shoushtari deserved better than this. Anyone with information is urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department.  If you don't have information or if you don't live in Southern California ... maybe the thing you can do is hug your child ... or call your parents ... or write your nephew ... or visit that relative who lives nearby.  Yesterday is gone.  Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.  Do something about your love and your family Today.

Wordless Wednesday: Designed for Accomplishment, Engineered for Success, and Endowed with the Seeds of Greatness

Ea Shoushtari Leads LACES to Los Angeles City Basketball Championship

I had a chance to see my young cousin, Ea Shoushtari, in a LA City Schools playoff basketball game when I was on the west coast last month. Her team, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES), won the game by a wide margin ... something like 79-23.

I had to leave California before Ea and her LACES classmates could play the championship game. They were playing against the same team that beat them in the championship game last year. I was ecstatic to see the Los Angeles Times post on last night's game:

"Going into the fourth quarter of the City Section small schools girls' championship game, it was tied at 37-37. Then the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies scored the first 18 points of the quarter and never looked back in coming away with a 55-39 victory over View Park Prep at Roybal.

View Park (24-6) didn't score until there was 1:02 left. LACES (29-5) received three-pointers in the quarter from Ea Shoushtari, Rachel Totten and Jasmine Scott. Shoushtari finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Taylor Holeman added 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Danielle Pruitt had 11 points for View Park."

Congratulations young cousin! I (and ESPN) look forward to seeing how you and the rest of the Unicorns do next year when you are a high school senior!

Taser Death: Terrace Clayton Smith (Los Angeles, CA)

It happened again. Again we see that the police feel disrespected ... and respond with 50,000 volts of electricity from a taser gun. As a result, we have the 34th taser-related death in America this year.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says Terrace Clayton Smith has died after a deputy shocked him three times with an electric stun gun at a San Fernando Valley subway station. [SOURCE]

Police authorities say Smith was at the North Hollywood Red Line station on August 26th, when a deputy repeatedly asked if he had a ticket.

Smith didn't answer, so the deputy took hold of his hands to stop and question him.

The police say the man broke free, raised clenched fists and charged the deputy several times. He was Tasered, then shocked twice more when he got up and charged again. We don't know the other side of the story ... because Smith is dead.

The police were consistent in their response to this taser-related death ... they informed the press of a possible drug abuse angle. In this case, the police say a pipe used to smoke drugs fell to the ground during the scuffle. That is how the police set the stage for blaming his death on 'excited delirium'.

These taser-related deaths are happening at too rapid a clip. Please sign our online petition seeking congressional hearings on taser-torture taking place in our nation.

Could MS-13 Be Involved in Jamiel Shaw's Murder?

Villagers, we live in dangerous times. Hillary Clinton is not a monster. But, we have some true monsters in our communities. We reported earlier this week about the senseless murder of 15-year old Jamiel Shaw. He attended my alma mater, LA High School. Our high school colors are blue & white. Could his death be at the hands of the MS-13 gang?

Jamiel Shaw's nine year old brother asked his father, Jamiel Shaw Sr., "Are they going to kill me too?" What type of world do we live in when a 9-year old is worrying about being shot to death?

"I don't see it as black and brown. I see it as a gang problem," said Jamiel's father. "I don't want anybody to think this is a racial thing."

Jamiel Shaw Sr. may be right. Today, I learned about MS-13. I must live in a bubble. I never heard of this crew until today. Yet, this gang is in 33 states and has over 10,000 members. The FBI states that it is the fastest-growing and most violent criminal organization in the nation.




The gang colors? Blue & White after the colors of the El Salvadoran flag. Makes me wonder about the blue & white colors worn by the LA High Roman football player gunned down for no reason. Could MS-13 be the ones responsible for the death of young Jamiel Shaw?

High Schooler Jamiel Shaw Killed While Army Mom in Iraq

We heard the drumbeats from Black Political Thought about some bad news. A young brother from my high school alma mater, Los Angeles High School, was shot and killed in random gang violence. Jamiel Shaw, 17, was shot multiple times on a sidewalk a few yards from his home after he didn't respond when two men pulled up in a car and asked him "Where you from?" — code for which gang did he belong to. He was not a gang member, so he couldn't answer the question. Two Latino men in a white compact sedan apparently decide that Jamiel's life wasn't worth more than the cost of a few bullets because he wasn't wearing a red or a blue hoodie. Authorities are calling the shooting a random, unprovoked gang attack.

This story struck me as wrong on so many levels.

1. Jamiel was the Southern League's most valuable player last football season. Stanford University and Rutgers University were both in touch with him about possible scholarships.
2. Jamiel's mother, Army Sgt. Anita Shaw, served on her second tour of duty in Iraq when she learned about the shooting. Can you begin to imagine what her emotions are like as she makes the journey from Iraq to southern California to bury her 17-year old son? "She called crying, saying, 'Tell me it's not my son,' " said Jamiel's aunt, Althea Shaw. "She was so proud. She felt he had made it through the hard times. She still called him her baby, even though he was taller than her."
3. Jamiel's father said he heard the shots outside. "They killed him while his mother is in Iraq fighting, dodging bullets, and she gets a phone call to say her son is on the streets of L.A., dead. For what?" His son's ultimate goal was to be a sports agent.

Villagers, how many more of our young men must we lose? I have a 8-year old son. He loves playing football. He has some great friends. Will our society value his life and his worth? I'm sure that Jamiel's parents were dreaming big dreams about their little man. And then the unthinkable happened.

How do we protect our children from this type of danger? In any case, the prayers of the ancestors are with Anita and Jamiel Shaw Sr. as they bury their child. If anyone learns anything more about this case ... please let us know.