Bhutanese refugee killed in apparent robbery
Two Bhutanese refugees were shot, one of them fatally, in an apparent robbery in Northeast Baltimore, one of two double-shootings investigated by Baltimore police Tuesday night.
Big Bahadur Gurung, 20, had immigrated here from Nepal two months ago, after being given sanctuary following years of persecution in his home country, said Holly Leon-Lierman, the outreach manager for the International Rescue Committee, which helps refugees assimilate.
“He came here seeking freedom and safety,” Leon-Lierman said. “These are people who were persecuted for a long time, and it really makes this attack all the more tragic.”
The incident is the latest in a series of crimes that have sparked concern for members of Baltimore’s Nepalese and Bhutanese community, which officials say is centered in Northeast Baltimore’s Frankford neighborhood and has been growing in recent years.
Officers were called to the Parkside Gardens apartments in the 5200 block of Bowleys Lane at 10:12 p.m. for a report of a double shooting, and found two men suffering from gunshot injuries. A 17-year-old male, also an immigrant who arrived here last year, was shot multiple times in the torso and taken to an area hospital in critical condition. Gurung, of the 4900 block of Gunther Ave., was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead.
Bhutan is a tiny kingdom in South Asia located at the eastern end of the Himalayas. For years, thousands of Bhutanese of Nepali descent have been fleeing the country, alleging ethnic and political repression, and were stranded in Nepalese refugee camps.
In 2007, the United States announced it would offer sanctuary to up to 60,000 refugees, with Ellen Sauerbrey, then the director of the State Department’s refugee division and a former Republican state legislator from Maryland, playing a key role. More than 30,000 refugees have settled in the United States since then, one of the largest refugee groups in recent years, according to news reports. More than 700 have settled in Baltimore.
But like other immigrant populations, they have encountered challenges in their new home. The IRC has been working with police and city officials over concerns about robberies and violence, with advocates and community leaders organizing meetings.
Frances Tinsley, the IRC’s director since April, said the crimes are isolated and there is no evidence that Bhutanese refugees have been targeted, and she said the group’s work is largely proactive.
“Baltimore has been an accepting community, but it is also an urban city and we have to do the best we can to make sure these newcomers feel safe,” Tinsley said.
Part of that effort includes educating them on how the system works. Distrust of government and police in their home countries also often prevents immigrants from reporting crime, officials say.
“It’s been an ongoing project to try to educate them … that it’s OK to report these incidents,” said Brandon Scott, a community liaison with the mayor’s office who is running for the Baltimore City Council.
Anna Yankova-White, a city employee who does outreach with immigrant communities, said bullying involving Nepalese students on school buses and bus stops has been a “crucial issue” within the community and spurred some of the meetings. She said a series of safety workshops are being planned for September, and that officials are pushing immigrants to get involved in community walks in their neighborhood.
In an email in May, advocates from the IRC said Northeast District police would be using the Parkside Gardens apartments as a substation for officers in that sector, and stage shift changes there in hopes of reducing response times. The district’s commander, Maj. Darryl DeSousa, did not respond Wednesday to questions about whether those deployments took place.
In the second shooting incident, Brown said police officers were called to the 3700 block of West Forest Park Ave. at 10:55 p.m. for a report of a double shooting. When they arrived, they found a 25-year-old man shot in the leg and he was transported to a local hospital.
The second victim was a 24-year-old man, who was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, Brown said. He was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:26 p.m. Brown identified him as Lee Jones III of the 3400 block of Oakfield Ave. in Baltimore.
Brown said police did not know of a motive and did not have any suspects.
Police also disclosed that a man who was shot Monday morning in Southwest Baltimore died from his injuries. Jerome Golphin, 25, was found dead on his front lawn in the 200 block of Mount Holly St. at about 11:20 a.m.
Police say his vehicle had been struck by bullets, and it was believed that he was shot at as he was driving. Detectives were exploring a possible drug connection to the killing, police said.
Anyone with information about the shooting incidents was asked to call homicide detectives at 410-396-2012.
Comments
Baltimore. More dangerous then most 3rd world countries. WTH, learn the system?
Posted by: bacon | August 24, 2011 8:49 PM
Big Bahadur Gurung, 20, had immigrated here from Nepal two months ago, after being given sanctuary following years of persecution in his home country, said Holly Leon-Lierman.
Surprising that a 20 year old was persecuted in his home country implied here to Bhutan. Most of the so called refugees left Bhutan in the year 1990 & 1991, so during that period he would have just been born, wonder how a baby would have been persecuted. The other, the 17 year old would would have only heard of Bhutan, and most probably born in the camps in Nepal. I guess these people have lived their life in Nepal until they were moved to the United States, and I' am sure that they were safe in the refugee camps even before moving to the states.
Posted by: James | August 25, 2011 2:56 AM
Bhutanese refugees have been unsecure in Baltimore since arrival.The best method to solve this problem is to look for some other secure place where one's life be secured.Now the threatening,robbery and humilation resulted to MURDER.OOPS!!!
Posted by: Bhutanese Refugee | August 25, 2011 3:31 AM
Very sad, a clear statement on the state of our City when the criminal element begin killing these immigrants we welcomed to try and give them a new life after being ethnically cleansed from their homes in Bhutan and living in bamboo & mud huts in UNHCR refugee camps in Nepal, my condolences to the families and Bhutanese refugee community in Baltimore.
Posted by: Ryan Moore | August 25, 2011 8:47 AM
So sad and sorry for the families out there who are morning. I am new immigrant like Bahadur from Nepal and I can't imagine that it happened to him in a few months of his arrival. I don't know what to say but let me say this, just pick up your bag and leave that place. American are great people but I don't think this criminal understand what it means to be american. By the way, all bhutanese community morn with those who have lost their family member :-(
Posted by: Kumar | August 25, 2011 7:38 PM
So sad but that goes to show the lack of value for life My prayers are for the families and the other people in the Bhutanese community. there will be justice in the end . to James get a life and have some compassion.
Posted by: "MrBill" Wischmeyer | August 25, 2011 9:18 PM
My sincere condolensces to the families and to the entire Bhutanese community. It is tragic that a legal, lawful immigrant, a new member of our community, was murdered by someone with no respect for life, a criminal who probably wanted a few dollars. I hope the Police will investigate aggressively and find the murderer who maliciously killed Bahadur.
Posted by: Paul | August 26, 2011 1:01 AM
@bacon: You do realize that living in the camps is not a secure situation? While they may not have faced people burning down their homes or shooting them, as was the case in Nepal, they are stateless people - people with no rights. They are not legally allowed to leave the refugee camp or work to provide for their families. They have limited access to education. Oftentimes, no hope.
Secondly, the author does not say that the 20-year old or 17-year old were specifically targeted - yes, most likely they were born in the camp. You can't deny the fact that their people faced years of persecution which places a heavy burden even on the children who have no recollection of the country that was supposed to be their home.
Shame on you for minimizing this tragedy and the persecution of the ethnic Nepali from Bhutan.
Posted by: Rachel | August 26, 2011 8:53 AM
Sorry, that was @James.
Posted by: Rachel | August 26, 2011 9:03 AM
It is very sad moment at this time.The Bhutanese who comes to United State with very BIG dream for hope,safe,home,peace,secure and no need to run for LIFE again but the scary moment in some cities of United State.We all the Bhutanese are new comers in this country be alert all the times. I on-behalf all the Bhutanese American Community in Charlottesville,Virgina share heartily condolences to the family,friends and all Bhutanese Community.
Posted by: Keshar | August 26, 2011 10:19 AM
I was in the Refugee camps in Nepal for 17 years, but me Personally Never feared that i will get shot infront of my hut like this in Baltimore.Im residing in Baltimore since 2008 and i always get out of my apartment with fear of being robed,or even shot or get beaten. I thought that im gonna have a great and peaceful life in USA but.....Bahadur was only one from this family who could speak english and help his family in this new and advanced country.sorry for him.
Posted by: Bhai | August 27, 2011 7:29 PM
We lost our Country and were living in REFUGEE camps for 18 yrs, in a hut made up of plastic roof and bamboo sticks wall but i was feeling secure there and never felt that i will get killed near by my hut. we came to Great America with alot of hope and Dreams to live a peacful life ahead but...from Now im never gonna believe that there is some places where we can live fearlessly...Condolances to the departed soul and rest of his family.
Posted by: Bhai | August 27, 2011 7:53 PM
Its very sad news to hear in our community and on the behalf of all bhutanese refugee i would like to pray his soul may rest in peace in heaven and could not forgive criminial .
For immigrant most of the places are unseccure,so please our immigrant try to be in secure area.
one important prequation not to fall in danger is avoid loitering in unseccure area.
Posted by: Mahananda | August 28, 2011 5:26 PM
Bless you Bahadur. We will miss you.
Posted by: Paul | August 31, 2011 12:08 AM