Another Day In The Death Of America

Episode

First
Broadcast

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20160926

On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily.

Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day.

First is Jaiden Dixon, age nine.

The day began with the usual routine for Jaiden, as his mum Nicole chivied him out of bed at their home in suburban Columbus, crowned Best Hometown in central Ohio for that year. By the time Jaiden should have been arriving at school, he was fighting for his life in a trauma unit. He'd been shot twice on his doorstep. Nicole hadn't seen the gunman, but she knew who he was. Her ex-partner, Danny Thornton, was running amok.

Abridged by Jo Coombs

Produced by Hannah Marshall

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.

Gary Younge tells the story of the children and teens shot dead on an average American day

20160927

Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day.

Kenneth Mills-Tucker was shot dead just three days shy of his twentieth birthday. It was nine days before he was due in court, charged with failing to come to a complete halt at a stop sign and possession of a pipe with marijuana residue in it. His death wasn't noteworthy enough to get any media coverage. But if it had been, how would Kenneth have been remembered?

Abridged by Jo Coombs

Produced by Hannah Marshall

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.

Kenneth Mills-Tucker was shot dead just three days before his twentieth birthday.

20160928

Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day.

Eleven year old Tyler Dunn spent the day with his friend Brandon [not his real name]. Just before 8.30pm, Brandon walked out of the house with his hands up, wearing red shorts with no shirt or socks, the police telling him to keep his hands where they could see them. He had just called 911 and told them he had shot Tyler.

Who should bear responsibility for the killing? Brandon's father couldn't say for sure how many guns were in the house, or whether any of them were loaded. If Michigan had laws to prevent child-access to guns, would Tyler still be alive?

Abridged by Jo Coombs

Produced by Hannah Marshall

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.

At a sleepover in rural Michigan, a 12-year-old boy shoots his best friend dead.

20160929

Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day.

At around 11.05pm, on the echoey, rank, first-floor stairway of a four-storey walk-up in South Chicago, just around the corner from his home, someone walked up to Tyshon Anderson, shot him in the head, and left. By 11.50pm he was dead. No one knows who killed him.

Abridged by Jo Coombs

Produced by Hannah Marshall

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.

No-one knows who shot Tyshon Anderson in the head on a stairway in South Chicago.

05 LAST

20160930

Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day.

Samuel Brightmon's shooting was reported in the Dallas Morning News: 'Police are investigating after a teenager was fatally shot on Saturday night when walking down the street in Southeast Dallas,' the article read. 'Police say Samuel Brightmon, 16, and another 16-year-old were walking in the 7300 block of Schepps Parkway around 11 pm when they heard gunshots. As the teens tried to run away, Brightmon was shot and collapsed in the street. Brightmon was taken to Baylor University Medical Center of Dallas where he was pronounced dead. No suspect has been identified.

'That was it,' writes Younge. 'They didn't have an awful lot to go on. The police report is similarly minimal, adding only that it believed the shooting was not gang-related. There was no profile, no testimony from his school friends or teachers. No sense of who he was, let alone why he was killed. His death was counted. It just didn't count for much.'

Abridged by Jo Coombs

Produced by Hannah Marshall

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.

Samuel Brightmon was shot aged 18. His death was counted. It just didn't count for much.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20160926	On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily. Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day. First is Jaiden Dixon, age nine. The day began with the usual routine for Jaiden, as his mum Nicole chivied him out of bed at their home in suburban Columbus, crowned Best Hometown in central Ohio for that year. By the time Jaiden should have been arriving at school, he was fighting for his life in a trauma unit. He'd been shot twice on his doorstep. Nicole hadn't seen the gunman, but she knew who he was. Her ex-partner, Danny Thornton, was running amok. Abridged by Jo Coombs Produced by Hannah Marshall A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4. Gary Younge tells the story of the children and teens shot dead on an average American day
02	20160927	On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily. Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day. Kenneth Mills-Tucker was shot dead just three days shy of his twentieth birthday. It was nine days before he was due in court, charged with failing to come to a complete halt at a stop sign and possession of a pipe with marijuana residue in it. His death wasn't noteworthy enough to get any media coverage. But if it had been, how would Kenneth have been remembered? Abridged by Jo Coombs Produced by Hannah Marshall A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4. Kenneth Mills-Tucker was shot dead just three days before his twentieth birthday.
03	20160928	On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily. Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day. Eleven year old Tyler Dunn spent the day with his friend Brandon [not his real name]. Just before 8.30pm, Brandon walked out of the house with his hands up, wearing red shorts with no shirt or socks, the police telling him to keep his hands where they could see them. He had just called 911 and told them he had shot Tyler. Who should bear responsibility for the killing? Brandon's father couldn't say for sure how many guns were in the house, or whether any of them were loaded. If Michigan had laws to prevent child-access to guns, would Tyler still be alive? Abridged by Jo Coombs Produced by Hannah Marshall A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4. At a sleepover in rural Michigan, a 12-year-old boy shoots his best friend dead.
04	20160929	On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily. Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day. At around 11.05pm, on the echoey, rank, first-floor stairway of a four-storey walk-up in South Chicago, just around the corner from his home, someone walked up to Tyshon Anderson, shot him in the head, and left. By 11.50pm he was dead. No one knows who killed him. Abridged by Jo Coombs Produced by Hannah Marshall A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4. No-one knows who shot Tyshon Anderson in the head on a stairway in South Chicago.
05 LAST	20160930	On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily. Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day. Samuel Brightmon's shooting was reported in the Dallas Morning News: 'Police are investigating after a teenager was fatally shot on Saturday night when walking down the street in Southeast Dallas,' the article read. 'Police say Samuel Brightmon, 16, and another 16-year-old were walking in the 7300 block of Schepps Parkway around 11 pm when they heard gunshots. As the teens tried to run away, Brightmon was shot and collapsed in the street. Brightmon was taken to Baylor University Medical Center of Dallas where he was pronounced dead. No suspect has been identified. 'That was it,' writes Younge. 'They didn't have an awful lot to go on. The police report is similarly minimal, adding only that it believed the shooting was not gang-related. There was no profile, no testimony from his school friends or teachers. No sense of who he was, let alone why he was killed. His death was counted. It just didn't count for much.' Abridged by Jo Coombs Produced by Hannah Marshall A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4. Samuel Brightmon was shot aged 18. His death was counted. It just didn't count for much.