quote:
But I can't help but wonder, and yeah I'm about to go there, this is a 21 year old white male from a good family. Why is there so much attention on this young man who was fighting demons and committed suicide, but not nearly enough coverage on the shooting death at the hands of another of a 17 or 18 year old black young man?

It sucks, but it's true. If we as a community spent nearly as much time trying to help seek closure for those families haunted by homicide as we do on the family of a young man who committed suicide, I can damn near guarantee Baton Rouge would not be breaking homicide records

Sorry for going off topic of this tragic story. Ignore if you wish but thought this had to be answered to.

The reasons why this case would get attention and a black male being killed by another black male would not can be attributed a few reasons. I am not making this a black vs white issue but simply going with the 2 examples given.

The white student going missing and/or found dead scenario is a rare and isolated event. Their disappearance is uncharacteristic of them and the community. By contrast, the black male homicides happen nearly everyday. (Note that white meth addicts who disappear don't often get great coverage since they do disappear for day on binges because that is characteristic of them).

The white community, white families will put forth considerable productive effort to find the victim and the answers. Meanwhile the black community often refuses to help police find the killers, even when a young child is killed. Their "don't snitch" and refusal to talk with police means killers are free to kill again and again. The victim's family may even take matters in their own hands and retaliate by committing a drive by and thus yet another black male homicide victim and on and on.

BTW, remember Terrilynne Monette? She was a young black woman in New Orleans who disappeared. She was teacher and productive, upstanding member of society so she had enormous community support. She also had a devoted family and friends who worked tirelessly with cops and authorities.

It often comes down to family, friends and their enormous efforts who assist and push for answers and closure. They put their own money into the search. The recruited people to search.

THAT makes all the difference. They turned New Orleans upside down looking for her for 4 months. the dredged and pulled dozens of cars from canals and waterways. She was found after 97 days of tireless effort. No foul play, she had simply accidentally driven into the water and drowned. Such a very sad case of a very loved young woman.

Also the urgency in looking for the missing LSU student was because he was in known distress, he could have still been alive and in great need of help.

Its not a black and white thing at all. It's the individual circumstances, the families and community that make all the difference.