Another DDN employee victimized in a gun crime

September 6, 2004
Dayton Daily News

Senseless shootings kill 2 bystanders

DAYTON | — Derek Ali, a well-known community figure and Dayton Daily News reporter, was killed Sunday morning pushing a woman away from gunfire at a Lakeridge Court party.

Mr. Ali, 47, had been working as a disc jockey at the private party and was moving his DJ equipment to his car at about 1 a.m. A group of men denied entry became angry and at least one opened fire spraying the building, Dayton Police Sgt. Gary White said.

Mr. Ali pushed the woman out of the way and was shot in the chest, dying at the scene, White said.

"Absolutely senseless," White said. "He was absolutely minding his own business. He did not incite anything. He was not part of the problem there."

Mr. Ali's death left community leaders and community members shaken.

"It's hard to believe," said Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin, who talked with Mr. Ali as he was DJ'ing Saturday at the Neighbor-To-Neighbor Street Festival at College Hill Park.

"We have to take back our city," she said. "People, not just city leaders, have to rise up and say enough is enough. The police need our help. The days of people standing behind their doors, saying, 'I don't want to get involved,' are over."

Trotwood Mayor Donald K. McLaurin, said, "I don't know what's going on in our world that African-Americans are being gunned down for no reason. It's just terrible to have to deal with this."

"I join the mayor of Dayton in condemning this," McLaurin said. "I'm prayerful that something good in all this will come out. I don't know what that is, but we need something good to come of this."

Commentary:
This man's employer, the Dayton Daily News, has worked for years to prevent the restoration of his Constitutional right to defend himself, and they continue to rail against it on editorial pages today. If the editors wish to honor their fallen comrade, they certainly should turn away from yet another endorsement of failed gun control experiments.

If city leaders truly want to make a difference, they will speak out about the merits of law-abiding citizens exercising their right to bear arms self-defense, as did the governor of Lousiana did when a serial rapist terrorized the state in 2002.

If elected officials truly hope to send a message to criminals that "enough is enough", they will back programs such as did officials in Orlando, Florida some years ago:

In 1966, and in response to a rape epidemic, Orlando officials embarking on a highly publicized program to train 2,500 women in firearm use. The next year rape fell by 88 percent in Orlando (the only major city to experience a decrease that year); burglary fell by 25 percent. Not one of the 2,500 women actually ended up firing her weapon; the deterrent effect of the publicity sufficed." (Congressional Record, 90th Cong., 2d sess., January 30, 1968, p. 1496, n. 7) Five years later Orlando's rape rate was still 13 percent below the pre-program level, whereas the surrounding standard metropolitan area had suffered a 308 percent increase.

Every time a defenseless individual in our state is victimized, officials and the media declare that "something must be done!"

On any other day, the Ohio Newspaper Association attempts to intimidate would-be CHL applicants by encouraging members to collect and publish names has effected the outcome.

On any other day, the Dayton Daily News joins many other editorial boards in demonizing individuals who choose not to be victims.

On any other day, city officials in Dayton enforce anti-gun policies that render the citizens defenseless, and do nothing to stop criminals.

But not today. Today, they say "People...have to rise up and say enough is enough. The police need our help. The days of people standing behind their doors, saying, 'I don't want to get involved,' are over."

Answer the call. Get the training and apply for an Ohio CHL today.

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