Catch him, help them

The man suspected of shooting two homeless people while they slept on New York’s streets, who may be the same man sought in connection with three such attacks in the nation’s capital, must be found swiftly and punished harshly — not only because he has killed two human beings and wounded others, but because his actions are a disgusting and criminal amplification of the far too consistent dehumanization of a population of thousands who are stepped over rather than provided the help they badly need.

There is more than simple sadism in the chilling and callous actions of an individual who targets the helpless as they dream because they are unsheltered. It may not be legally judged a hate crime because homelessness is not a protected class like race, but it is unquestionably a crime of hate.

The single homeless men on our city’s sidewalks and subways are in crying need. Many struggle with addiction. Many are afflicted with serious mental illness and other chronic health problems. Nearly all are destitute. Few are engaged productively in work, though programs like the Doe Fund’s Ready, Willing & Able initiative shows them more than capable. Without a home — a bed, a shower, a place of dignity and decency — rebuilding one’s life becomes the steepest uphill climb. And while some homeless men have harmed others on our streets and subways, it is critical for New Yorkers to understand that as a group, they are victimized far more than they do violence to others.

Sleeping on the streets is almost always the manifestation of bigger maladies and broader societal failures. No matter how quiet the desperation of a man huddled under a blanket on a grate or bench, leaving such individuals to fend for themselves is a cruel form of neglect.

As long as this maniac remains on the loose, police must work double-time to protect his potential victims. And now, as always, it is incumbent on social service providers and the rest of us to deliver psychological treatment, which there’s too little of and which we’re far too shy about compelling those in deepest need to receive. Addiction services. And homes — specifically supportive housing. That is how we show them love. That is how we save their lives.