This past week was an eventful week for the Bronx. The Bronx had some inches of snow fall on Monday evening and Tuesday the entire borough was, for the most part, chilling at home enjoying a rare day off from work and school in March. As a college student myself, this day off was a blessing for me as it puts me one day closer to graduation. By Wednesday morning, most streets around my neighborhood remained unclean, with the sanitation department struggling to get the streets plowed. By Thursday morning, the streets were plowed, however, the sidewalks remained dangerous to walk on as black ice had built upon them and in some sections, people had no sense of urgency to get out and clean the snow.
Thursday evening would bring more unpleasant news as I learned that a pair of EMT worker were run over by their own ambulance. At first glance of the headline I thought “how ironic” then as the news sunk I thought to myself “how could they be ran over by their own ambulance?” This being the Bronx, I was not surprised to hear that some genius tried to rob their ambulance as if he were in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I was not surprised because at this point, I do not expect anything less from my contemporaries in the Bronx. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything similar anywhere, and what is really the point? Is not like you can easily hide an ambulance. The worse thing about this whole ordeal is that, after Jose Gonzalez stole the ambulance, he purposely put the ambulance on reverse and with evil intent ran over both paramedics killing one and injuring the other.
This Jose Gonzalez who, if early reports are to be trusted, has over 25 previous arrests at the age of 25, killed Yadira Arroyo as if she was an animal. I have no sympathy for this animal. Furthermore, I believe that the “justice” system has to be held accountable too. There comes a point in which we must ask ourselves how many second changes is enough. This excuse of a man had been arrested so many times, and he found himself out on the streets after each time, and for what? So that he could commit more crimes? Where’s Yadira’s second chance? She was a mother of 5 children, who had been serving her city for the past 14 years, saving others’ lives. Where is the justice for her? Jose will most likely attempt to play the crazy card, but he is not crazy, he is just another criminal that was loose on the streets of the Bronx. If he is given a life sentence, what does that accomplish? He gets to have 3 meals a day and be under a roof. Cases like these, cases that are so obvious and just plain evil make me believe that this country is due for public executions. Forget about life sentences, Yadira’s children may not get three meals a day, but this fool will if sentenced.
New York City is filled with people like Jose, people that have no respect for human life and hide behind the curtain of “mental illnesses.” If this were to happen in the Dominican Republic, Jose wouldn’t have made it to the police precinct, and whomever would have put him down would have been within his rights to do so as this man is a menace to society. What becomes of us? The citizens of this borough, when we can’t even respect the valiant EMT, FDNY, and NYPD workers that go out there every day to keep this borough safe. I hope the book gets thrown at him literally and figuratively. I also hope that some serious reform is made in the justice system because this is ridiculous, you can’t be arrested more than 5 times for violent crimes and keep getting released to continue to commit crimes. To Yadira’s family, I offer my condolences. To Jose, I hope you rot in jail for the pain you’ve caused the Arroyo family and friends, and even me because this one hit home.
