Right now, the SFPD are going to try and protect people by, yes, sending in more cops to police the projects in the Western Addition. Besides more cops, Police Chief Heather Fong is also sending sheriff's deputies and probation personnel to the scene.

Part of the problem seems to be the fact that nobody is coming out to identify anyone who did the shooting. From our deep and thorough understanding of inner city youth violence, mainly consisting of watching "The Wire," we know how that's the main problem in these things. Two of the shootings happened in broad daylight--somebody had to have seen something. So, in an effort to help find witnesses, the police are going to post flyers asking for any help in solving the crimes. They are also investigating to see if the crimes were all related, as they seemed to come right after each other.

In a weird way, this reminds of a story that happened years ago. Friends of ours once lived across the street from the projects in the Western Addition. One night they witnessed a drive by and when they called the cops, the cops wanted them to go out in the street, right in front of the projects, and help them identify the people involved. They refused. Can't say we don’t blame them.