911—a simple three digit number that can be easily remembered and quickly dialed in case of an emergency according to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. A number no Kew Gardens’ resident bothered to call the night Catherine Genovese was murdered in front of her domicile. A lurid crime, the people witnessed and could have obviated.

“For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens,” according to the article ,“38 Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call the Police.” The killer would make sporadic appearances, but the lax residents did nothing when they heard Ms. Genovese screaming for help. But why did these residents do nothing?

According to the article, the people didn’t want to get involved or they were tired. My conjecture is, the people were afraid to involve the police or they were in shock. People like to believe these kinds of crimes don’t exist. The people didn’t want to make a rash decision, but because of this Ms. Genovese was murdered.

One hour elapsed between the first stabbing and the police arriving. The police showed meticulous care at the scene, unlike the residents who witnessed the crime. The police made investigations and tried to interview the residents. The killer was caught, but a crime that could have been prevented was irreversible.

The residents of Kew Gardens did nothing to help a dying woman. They acted selfish and wrongly. They had the chance to help a fellow neighbor, but for unexplainable reasons they did not. In a case like this, people should not hesitate to call the police. Do the right thing immediately, and help your neighbor, community, and own personal self.