Mark Teal,and John Teal were shot to death on Bloods territory
Mark Teal, 20, and John Teal, 16, were shot to death while walking on a tiny stretch of North Flagler Drive about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, police and witnesses said.
The shootings happened on the same night gang symbols appeared in red spray paint on two buildings down the road from an apartment where the Teals were staying, at 316 Pine St., according to a property owner and a security guard who was patrolling a nearby condominium complex Sunday night.The trail of fresh graffiti, which identified the area as Bloods territory, roughly led from an entrance to the Teals' apartment building to southbound Flagler Drive, about a mile north of where the brothers were shot.Some of the spray-painted symbols were identical to permanent marker scrawls on doors to each of the brothers' rooms in a house they once shared with their mother, Judith Teal. Palm Beach County sheriff's Detective David Ray photographed the symbols during a May 15 child neglect investigation that led to Judith Teal's arrest in Royal Palm Beach.The West Palm Beach markings also matched graffiti painted on a stop sign at 55th Road North and 130th Avenue, within sight of Judith Teal's suburban Royal Palm Beach home.West Palm Beach police Capt. Pat Maney, who heads the agency's criminal investigations division, said his detectives are probing whether the shootings were gang-related but also are exploring other conceivable scenarios."I'm not going to deny that we would explore that possibility," Maney said Tuesday, but added: "If these two individuals did have some involvement in a gang, that doesn't mean that their deaths are gang-related."
Maney wouldn't say whether his detectives suspected the Teals painted the gang signs near their apartment Sunday night.At least two of the Teals' former neighbors on 55th Road North insisted the brothers thought of themselves as members of the Pirus or Bloods, a violent criminal street gang started in Los Angeles in the early 1970s.
"Mark kept saying he was with the gang the Bloods - 'I'm with the Bloods, I'll get my boys, and we'll f——ing kill you. We'll take your a— out, bang bang,'" said Dennis Makee, whose contentious relationship with the Teals is chronicled in Palm Beach County sheriff's records.Makee said the brothers would paint Bloods symbols on signs at the intersection of 55th Road North and 130th Avenue.He added that Mark Teal threatened him dozens of times since 2005."He kept going by my house, shooting me the bird," Makee said. "He spit on me."The Teals' father, former Palm Beach County Assistant Public Defender Mark Teal, couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday. On Monday, a grieving Teal defended his sons, calling them "good boys."
Even so, neighbors in Royal Palm Beach said they feared the Teals."The Teal brothers held our neighborhood hostage," said one woman, who asked not to be named because she feared for family members who still lived on 55th Road North. "The boys were on the wrong path for many years, and no one could stop them."
2 comments:
These two young boys were good boys and yes sometimes we see our youth go through growing pains. However, no one should die the way these two were murdered.If the neighborhood was so afraid and yet no one ever questioned why their community had gangs and there were active showing signs why then did not one of the concerned neighbors do an outreach or speak with someone who could help the situation. Do we really know if these boys did leave signs everywhere in the neighborhood??I know for a fact that the neighbor who said that the brothers were calling him names well this man called more threats too them along with one who is still alive and could not beleive someone of his age could pick on a 20 year old boy? We do know that his daughter was in love with the younger brother and he himself hated the fact that his daughter was dating the younger (16 year old). We know that he is also part of the KKK what is that about??? We talk about a new America!!! Well could this be a hate crime? come on people you all saw the video those boys were walking home fact! we know the truth will come out and may the Lord have mercy on the ones who need the Lords help who ever did this horrible crime! because this is wrong no matter how one looks at this horrible crime it is just not right! know the facts before one comes to judge. The neighbor who harassed them and called them names and threated them of shooting them and video typing their every move what is that about????? one must ask and hey we do live in America and this also show us were is our community in our lives, neighbor hoods, family, school and community. we no longer have the safety of our community of were we know everyone we live by and watch out for one others kids, property and why????. People may say oh gangs but really if one sees the video type they are just walking home! and then shot dead!!!!! Those of us who have children and family really do we want to fear???? to walk, to speak, to be, to live???? One can not let this happen again we need to heal the people who feel fear and the fear to drive them to kill. and kill the life we love. No one knows these boy except for the people who lived and brought them into this world their family!!! no one can judge them that is not there right they may have discernment towards someone but not the job to judge. Until one walks in an others shoes one can not really know who these two beautiful boys were. I knew them and I knew them very well so don't people go there because remember we all die and we all have to met our maker. They were loving and good boys and they will always live in the minds and hearts of all who knew they and who they touched with love.
These two young boys were good boys and yes sometimes we see our youth go through growing pains. However, no one should die the way these two were murdered.If the neighborhood was so afraid and yet no one ever questioned why their community had gangs and their were active showings of signs why then did not one of the concerned neighbors do an outreach or speak with someone who could help the situation. Do we really know if these boys did leave signs everywhere in the neighborhood??I know for a fact that the neighbor(Dennis Makee) who said that the brothers were calling him names well this man called more threats too them along with one who is still alive and more of a man then Dennis could ever be! and could not believe someone of his age could pick on a 20 year old?We do know that his daughter was in love with the younger brother and he himself hated the fact that his daughter was dating the younger (16 year old). We know that he is also part of the KKK what is that about??? We talk about a new America!!! Well could this be a hate crime? come on people you all saw the video those boys were walking home fact! we know the truth will come out and may the Lord have mercy on the ones who need the Lords help who ever did this horrible crime! because this is wrong no matter how one looks at this horrible crime it is just not right! know the facts before one comes to judge. The neighbor who harassed them and called them names and threated them of shooting them and video taping their every move what is that about????? one must ask and hey we do live in America and this also show us were is our community in our lives, neighbor hoods, family, school and community. we no longer have the safety of our community of were we know everyone we live by and watch out for one others kids, property and why????. People may say oh gangs but really if one sees the video type they are just walking home! and then shot dead!!!!! Those of us who have children and family really do we want to fear???? to walk, to speak, to be, to live???? One can not let this happen again we need to heal the people who feel fear and the fear to drive them to kill. and kill the life we love. No one knows these boy except for the people who lived and brought them into this world their family!!! no one can judge them that is not there right they may have discernment towards someone but not the job to judge. Until one walks in an others shoes one can not really know who these two beautiful boys were. I knew them and I knew them very well so don't people go there because remember we all die and we all have to met our maker. They were loving and good boys and they will always live in the minds and hearts of all who knew them and who they touched with love.
09 October 2008 17:27
Delete
Post a Comment