REMEMBER ADULT VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
She is not just another statistic: Minneapolis' fourth homicide victim in 2011.
She was a lovely young woman who had her entire future ahead of her ("Minneapolis homicide victim wanted fresh start," March 30).
Stephanie Smith is not just a number. She was a student, a friend, a cousin, a granddaughter, a sister.
She was a daughter who called her mother twice on the day she died.
She had a family: stoic and caring grandparents; a loving mother with an inner strength and quiet dignity we should all wish to have; a beautiful, spunky, honor-student little sister.
Gunshots took her away.
We hear about the tragic murders of our community's young people -- read about it in the newspaper, watch the reports on TV. We comment on blog posts, feeling secure that it couldn't happen to us.
