I have lived my entire 80+ years in upstate New York, except for service time, and know where Batavia is and where Monroe county is. Not only that, I know where East Saint Louis is, with splendor of its Mid-Continental Diversity and its #1 rating in crime.
Why do you think I didn’t know that the the attack took place in Batavia, NY?
Just trying to follow the logic of your statement. If you thought the event occurred in East St. Louis, then it would make sense to say that it helps one to understand why East St. Louis is the way it is. But if you knew it occurred in New York, why did you relate it to East St. Louis when you compared it to Baltimore and Florida? Why not the Meadowlands, or Detroit, or some other better known high crime cities. Did something happen to you in East St. Louis, or did you see some report about the town?
There are many reasons why East St. Louis is the way it is. When I was a kid growing up in St. Louis County, I remember reading an article about the decline in East St. Louis and asking my Mom how it go so bad over there, and she explained the many causes. But I don’t see how a woman punching a Wal-Mart clerk in a town in New York has anything to do with it.
Now if you were to mention the couple who got lost in East St. Louis and were shot and killed when they stopped to ask someone for directions, that would make sense. A buddy of mine and I got lost there shortly after that happened, and we were scared s-less until we found an entrance ramp to the highway.