Dear Editor,
I was grieved and distraught at the brutal killing of the young chain robber, and that people would stand around and watch him slowly die in the rain. What has happened to our humanity? Where are our values gone? I kept wondering why this young man was moving around in his briefs in broad daylight; I thought he may have been of unsound mind, until I learned that the ‘good civilians’ who intervened beat him and stripped him of his clothes in an alleyway, and when he attempted to run away, one of them shot him in the back. I recall the words of the Master: “Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone.” Why was he shot? He has the right to a fair and free trial, like those who beat and shot him. When they are identified and arrested, as I hope they would be, they too are entitled by our laws to a fair and free trial. We cannot stand by and watch anyone die on the road in the rain; this is inhumane behaviour. We are on a very dangerous path if this becomes the norm. As for Gavin Paul – I leave him in the hands of the Master, who when he was dying on the cross near to a thief, who asked to be remembered when he got to his kingdom, replied: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” My deepest sympathies to his mother and the rest of the family. God help us who are left behind to carry this burden of such cruel and brutal treatment of a young person.
Yours faithfully,
Fr Malcolm
Rodrigues, SJ

Editor’s note
Mr Paul’s jersey had been ripped off by his victim who struggled with him when he tried to seize her chain.