A woman who reportedly admitted to shooting her ex-girlfriend execution-style is a “victim” of “intergenerational trauma,” according to a candidate for New York’s City Council.
Brandon West, a candidate for District 39 (Park Slope-Gowanus) who enjoys the support of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)-backed Democratic Socialists of America, addressed Wednesday’s shooting that left fifty-one-year-old Nichelle Thomas dead, the New York Post reported Friday.
In a Twitter thread, he said society “can only progress if we recognize that even murderers and abusers are victims, as they’re usually suffering at the hands of complex emotional and intergenerational trauma which compels them to commit awful acts.”
Citizens “should uplift compassion and understanding above all else,” West added.
He also claimed domestic violence in the home and gun violence on the street are “the result of improperly treated, or entirely untreated mental and emotional turmoil.”
“Ultimately, by focusing on the health of our communities’ relationships and the wellbeing of individual human beings, I truly believe that we can change our city for the better. Our government should lead with love, because everyone is worth giving a chance,” West stated.
The shooting happened on a sidewalk outside a Brooklyn deli, Breitbart News reported Thursday:
The victim, 51-year-old Nichelle Thomas, was about to enter a bodega when another woman approached her from behind, brandished a gun, and allegedly shot her point-blank in the head. The 38-year-old suspect, identified as Latisha Bell, left the scene. The victim was rushed to a local hospital, where she later died, police said. Workers at the bodega said the victim was well-liked and a frequent customer at the store.
Police took Bell into custody once she turned herself in at the 78th Precinct hours after the incident. She faces charges of one count of second-degree murder and one count of criminal possession of a weapon.
“Neighbors said Thomas and Bell often feuded in their relationship. It is unclear how that escalated to the alleged murder,” the Breitbart News article continued.
Several Twitter users expressed disagreement with West’s comments.
“Blame her family blame her up bringing [sic] but in that video she knew what she was gonna do and planned accordingly,” one person wrote, adding, “Stop making excuses for criminals that show no regard for their neighbors and neighborhoods. She didn’t care if the bullet hit another.”
“Oh the good old ‘victim mentality’ excusing everything. When are people in your eyes ever responsible for anything?” another commented.
West’s website describes him as a “committed Democratic Socialist.”
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