Sole Survivor

Howard Youngblood's roommates were shot to death, yet he clings to the place where it all went down

Comments (0) By Michael Lacey Thursday, Mar 18 1999

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The mayor said the city was going to close the crack mecca, Keys Market.
What he meant to say is that the city intends to close Rainbow Market, which is across the street from Keys at the intersection of 24th Street and Broadway.

The city closed Keys 10 years ago. No one noticed, including the mayor.
Go ahead and close Rainbow Market. Close all the grocery stores. But the crack and the PCP and the gangs will defy mere real-estate plays.

For his part, Howard Youngblood is unwilling to extract himself from his hellish Chipman Street home. Instead, he tries to purchase some leverage, a little protection.

He tells the Broadway Gangsters what he picked up on the street, as if they didn't already know.

And he doesn't tell the police too much, as if they hadn't already figured it out.

Now Howard Youngblood tells a journalist, not a lot, but maybe just enough to buy some time.

For this young black man, it is a bleak bargain at best.

Contact Michael Lacey at his online address: mlacey@newtimes.com