On January 1st I heard on the radio that a man had been shot dead just around the corner in Queens Road at the Newton Arms pub. Soon after I heard the name of the dead man: Darren Deslandes. The name at that point hadn't clicked.
Then a couple of days ago I checked the Croydon Advertiser web site and saw a picture of the man who was murdered at the Newton Arms, and instantly I recognised him.
I've known Darren since he was 10. I didn't know him very well, but well enough to say "hi" and have a catch up if we happened to bump into each other. He was a decent man, with a regular job, in a loving family.
The sad fact is this: because this incident involves a black man killing another black man within an area of relative poverty, it doesn't carry the same coverage in the national media as other murders.
My abiding memory of Darren:
The 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles caught the imagination of Darren, myself and a few other local youngsters who lived off Brigstock Road/Nutfield Road in Thornton Heath. We had our own neighbourhood athletics tournament on the streets; 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, long jump. I remember Darren being a pretty good sprinter even though he was younger than the rest of us.
My thoughts are with his brother who was also shot and his family.
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Tags croydon, greenparty
3 comments:
Because it's Black man killing another Black man it doesn't get the same coverage in the national press'.I suggest your not reading the national press.Check out the BBC!!Stop using this mans sad death as a way to voice your opinions!A man has been killed and it doesn't matter whether he's Black or not!
My post was more about reporting which has appeared in the tabloid press (below).
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2790814/One-dead-in-New-Year-shootout.html
A press release issued states:
"The Deslandes family formally demand a full apology from the Sun and a full retraction of the cruel lies they have spread about the Murder of one innocent, law abiding young man and the attempted murder of another."
Mr Anonymous, what planet have you been u on?
I assume u are white and would like to believe that this country is no longer racist? well, until you have been there, u have no right to comment.
Believe it or not, i am white myself, but I have many black friends and my partner is also black. In addition, I worked closely with Darren in my last job. i have seen and heard too much to have the same ignorant views as u. I wish i could say otherwise, but i honestly cant.
The Sun article was unacceptable, and any other national tabloid reporting about Darren has made his death seem like an insignificant event.
U r right- a man has died and it doesnt matter if he is black or white.....unfortunatly, in the media it does!
Please before u speak next time!
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