Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Is Gunfire Funny?

No. But we can’t help but laugh at this story published by the Star-Ledger:

Police Arrest Two Newark Brothers Who Shot Each Other

NEWARK -- Police arrested two brothers who wounded each other Monday in the city's North Ward.

Alfatir Dowell, 18, and his brother Andre Dowell, 24, were in custody, Detective Todd McClendon said today. Alfatir Dowell was wounded in the hand and torso, while Andre Dowell was wounded in the arm, he said.

The brothers exchanged gunfire about 7 p.m. at 58 Cedar Lane after a dispute about money inside their Franklin Avenue residence, McClendon said. They were treated and released from Clara Maas Hospital.

It's not funny, especially coming on the heels of a spate of shootings in Newark and in Jersey City, shootings which resulted in the deaths of several civilians and the death of Jersey City Police Officer Marc DiNardo.

But still: Two brothers. In their home. Exchanging gunfire. We have to laugh, because otherwise the whole situation is too sad to consider.