A brief videoslide show depicting gang and other graffiti along the Scajaquada Creek Bike Path in "historic" Black Rock--Buffalo, NY. The same section of the path where Ruel Cotto, 17, of Buffalo's body was found on Nov. 14, 2009. He died of a single gunshot wound.
Buffalo Police arrested Eric Batherson, 18, of Gold Street and Alex Oliveras, 20, in connection with Cotto's murder. An Erie County Grand Jury has indicted Batherson for second-degree murder and weapons possession.
Oliveras has been charged with weapons possession. According to Chief of Detectives Dennis Richards, homicide detectives working the case came up with two persons of interest in the murder.
They were subsequently charged. Batherson faces a possible sentence of 25 years to life if convicted.
A jogger on the bike path discovered Cotto's body on the morning of Nov. 14. A few months later, a possible witness in the murder was forced into a car at gunpoint on Kail Street. He was beat, his lip cut, throat slit, and tied up with wire. One of the assailants threatened to dump him in the Niagara River.
*****
Late this Monday afternoon, I went on the bike path to take some pictures, the lighting was gorgeous this time of day.
I veered a little off the path, to the right, and into the brush behind Tops and found a whole bunch of interesting things written there. Some old, such as a Glore tag; some VERY new, such as G. Sqaud written on the pavement next a graffiti covered pole. The pole has become a memorial of sorts for the slain teen.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to include all of the photos in this brief video. But there is quite a bit of graffiti there.
I also believe the "KHYBER" sticker on the sign near the entrance to the path is relatively new. I don't recall seeing it when I shot pictures for my last video. Band related?
Or has someone been to the Khyber Pass from Pakistan to Afghanistan? Khyber warrior training in the US or elsewhere? Or perhaps just a fascination with such training and violence?
An interesting bit of information about the REAL Khyber Pass:
"In some versions of the Aryan migration theory, the Indo-Aryans migrated to India via the Khyber Pass. Recorded invasions through the Khyber begin with the conquests of Darius I and Alexander the Great and also include later Muslim invasions of South Asia, culminating with the establishment of the Mughul Empire from 1526.
The British invaded Afghanistan from India and fought three Afghan Wars in 1839-42, 1878-80, and 1919. George Molesworth, a member of the British force of 1919, summarized: "EVERY STONE IN THE KHYBER HAS BEEN SOAKED WITH BLOOD."
Very sobering words about the past, and what could well be the future of Black Rock.
As I said, very interesting and disturbing stuff, though I have no clue as to whether the murder which took place on the bike path is in anyway gang related or related to violent music.
As for the billboard pole on the path, I also noticed that someone wrote "BerZerKer" in white paint.
It would appear someone is a fan of the death metal band The Bezerker. Pretty gory and violent stuff if you ask me, but musical tastes are a matter of...taste. Still, I've watched some of their videos, and they're quite obsessed with themes of extreme violence, gore, and death, hence the characterization of the band as death metal.
Do an online search of the word Berzerker. I came up with pieces about how there are probably of lot of neo Nazis at these concerts. Another was about two or three kids plotting or actually killing their parents.
They wanted to form a neo Nazi group called BerZerKer
Earlier in the summer I noticed that someone spray-painted, in red, something that looks like CEL and what appears to be the shoulders and back of someone's head.
That was removed from under the Chandler/Military viaduct but I noticed it again last week near the concrete steps leading up to the railroad tracks near the viaduct.
Then again yesterday, I spotted a similar thing--this time in black, just to the right of the bike path. The head was replaced with a crosshairs symbol, as on the scope of a rifle.
Ironically, just as I was leaving I saw from the Olmsted Parks Conservancy leaving the Polish Cadets after apparently giving a presentation on their plans for the creek to make it more welcoming. You'd think they'd be concerned with making it more safe but...
About 30 people attended the meeting to hear about the Olmsted Parks Conservancy's preliminary designs for the $1.2 million Scajaquada Creekside Trail Improvement Project.
Now I wonder...was 17 year old Ruel Cotto or the safety of anyone using that trail even discussed? Most likely not. This is Black Rock Riverside, where everyone wears rose-colored glasses and the murder of a child isn't discussed in polite company...
Background music: The Strength of the Righteous from The Untouchables.
Loading...
4:04
Buffalo NY Then and Nowby coryjhill61,839 views
All Comments