More Than Just Numbers

But if you are keeping count, murders number 23 and 24:

Two men were shot to death and a third critically wounded shortly inside a park car in the 9th Ward shortly before 6:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.

The Mayor showed up:

Mayor Ray Nagin was at the shooting scene and was seen comforting shaken residents who lived nearby.

I give the Mayor credit because he definitely had to go out of his way to get to this crime scene. It was tucked away in the 9th Ward before the Industrial Canal and behind the St. Claude bridge – no where near the parades or touristy areas.

UPDATE: WWL-TV headline - "Nine peope shot in less than seven hours," with a statement from the Mayor:

“Last month, I stated that one murder is too many in our community, our fragile city that is still on the journey to recovery. Tonight, I am deeply saddened that our young people continue dying in our streets.

“As I continue to work to address the systemic problems that have plagued our criminal justice system for decades, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of addressing educational and social problems that have plague our community for just as long.

“I commend the clergy for stepping up and working with the city to help our youth find a way out of a life of crime. We must all work together and unify as a community to save our children from violence.”