Pangloss, a bike and a bus

A bit of Leibnizian optimism from our protector:

"A day after the FBI released national crime data that showed New Orleans is still the nation's most murderous city, Police Superintendent Warren Riley took issue with the ranking and noted significant progress has been made. "We know we have a crime problem, but the severity of it depends on what headlines you read."

Here are some headlines:

1) New Orleans police are on the scene of a murder in the 3100 block of North Dorgenois Street, between Clouet and Louisa streets. [No further information available at time of posting]. St. Roch, Murder

2) [Received under the heading: Shooting] On 06-01-09 at approximately 3:16pm, Officers of the First District responded to a shooting in the 1900 block of Old St. Bernard Street. Officers observed the victim suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim later expired. St. Roch, Murder

3) 6900 block of Chef Menteur. On 06-02-09 at 1230pm, the victim was approached by a male who told him the bike he was riding looked like their bike. The victim rode away. The victim noticed the two men following in a car. The victim turned north on Chantilly and heard several gunshots which struck him in the arm and chest. NO East, Shooting

4) On 06/02/09 at 1300hrs, victim was driving a RTA bus. The arrested subject was a passenger on the bus along with her two month old daughter. As the victim approached the intersection of Gen Meyer and Holiday the arrested subject began to open a baby stroller in the bus. The victim informed the subject that she could not open the stroller until she exited. The victim stopped the bus at the intersection of Gen Meyer and St. Nick to which the arrested began to exit the bus with the opened stroller but before exiting the bus turned to face the driver and proceeded to throw baby formula on her from an opened plastic baby bottle. The victim then tried to push the arrested subject off the bus. The arrested subject pulled a steak knife from her rear pocket to stab the victim in the abdomen. In Transit, Escalation