Another young life cut short by violence

Darius Kelly should have had a great future (“Former Poly basketball player latest victim as Baltimore killings mount,” July 25).

He was a basketball star at an elite high school, and like others before him he thought he could escape the streets of West Baltimore and the crime and violence that became the inspiration for the HBO series “The Wire.”

Kelly’s death is a reminder of how powerful those streets have become. In July, at least one person will be murdered in Baltimore for every day of the month.

I have spoken to people about the need for elected officials to address the issue. I know our approach has been wrong and wasteful. But we must find better ways to end the cycle of drugs, gun violence, unemployment and teen pregnancy that is wasting much of our young people’s future. Roland Nicholson Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.

Praying for justice for McKenzie Elliott

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of the death of McKenzie Elliott, the 3-yearold girl who was killed by a stray bullet while playing on her front porch on a Friday afternoon (“McKenzie Elliott’s killer should be Public Enemy No. 1,” March 25).

No one in the community has come forward with information, and no one has been arrested. Blessed Sacrament Church and St. Matthew Church have not forgotten her and will be praying for her and her family at our weekend church services. We believe that someone knows something and that someone saw something that day. We wait and pray for justice for McKenzie. Fr. Joe Muth, Baltimore