Gunfire and False Accusations

Gunfire erupted in a Newburgh parking lot following Friday’s football game against Warwick High School, leaving three people injured. Warwick’s social media pages recounted the harrowing details, where parents, players, cheerleaders, and spectators were sent running for their lives.

One parent wrote,

“OMG I was right there, a car away from one person that got shot. I just keep thanking God because that could have been me if I was say 20 steps further. I heard the shots, saw a window blow out and a kid fall. It was scary. I held it together until I got home, had a drink and patiently waited for my son to get home so I could hug him.”

Another parent shared her and her daughter’s experiences:

“ I was working a late shift, getting ready to close. My cell phone rang and I did not recognize the number, somehow I knew to pick up. On the other end, every parent’s worst fear, was my daughter, crying hysterically. I could barely understand her, all I heard was “mommy, there’s shots fired”…and then I didn’t hear her. Luckily a fellow cheerleader took the phone, and in a very calm manner explained to me that they were in fact safe and in a safe place. She was trying to calm Gabi down. I thanked her and told her to assure her I was on my way. I felt numb the whole ride home wondering about not only my daughter but everyone.”

There is speculation that this incident was a retaliation for a targeted shooting the evening before, in which a 5-year-old boy and 29-year-old Daquan Corbett were shot. Mr. Corbett, who was hit multiple times, was pronounced dead at St. Luke’s Hospital. Relatives indicated that Mr. Corbett had survived being shot in January of this year.

Newburgh, NY was ranked the 36th most dangerous city in America for 2021, according to the website neighborhoodscout.com. The data reveals that Newburgh is one of the most violent cities for its size. In this small city, a person has a 1 in 87 chance of being the victim of a violent crime like murder, assault or rape.

The Warwick Valley School District quickly announced that Warwick sports teams would not be participating in events in Newburgh for the foreseeable future.

Libel and Malice on Social Media

Soon after these testimonials were posted, in which students and parents alike began to process what had happened in the Newburgh parking lot, accusations of “racism” began to be made. In a discussion on the Warwick, NY Parents Group page, one resident wrote that

“canceling games against communities who are in crisis is not the answer.”

This was civilly answered by another resident who stated:

“I feel bad for the Newburgh players, but I’m not risking our kids being shot because they are less fortunate.”

This comment prompted a member of the page, Sarah Grace Long, to contact this woman’s department supervisor at her job and an organization that she volunteers for, based on information detailed in her profile. Ms. Long went so far as to tell the woman’s supervisor over the phone that this woman “is a racist.” Ms. Long also messaged the volunteer organization the woman works with, declaring,

“you have an actual racist involved in your group.”

Multiple subsequent posts on the page roundly condemned Ms. Long’s accusations and attempts to ruin the reputation of a member of the community. Multiple members found her claims to be ”ridiculous,” their chief priority being the safety of their children. Ms. Long doubled down on her actions, posting “‘Live-laugh-love moms’ in a secular community are not anyone I care about in the slightest.” “‘Snitches get stitches’ does not apply when dealing with racism.”

Responding to Ms. Long’s claims and actions, another parent on the page exclaimed:

“We heard gunshots at one of my son’s soccer games in Newburgh years ago. Never found out if the shooter was black, white or other but I have thought about it every time I have been there since. Definitely not a race issue. It’s a safety issue…”