There were two more shootings in Beloit since this one per the Beloit Daily News. One on Wednesday night (drug related) and one a few hours ago on Thanksgiving Day (gang related). Again, Beloit is not a safe place right now and the Beloit Police Department needs to get its act together quick. Fix the problems or people will be leaving in droves!

You know some ppl just need to grow up because it doesn't matter what city you live in someone always eventually gets murdered. Whether it's by your husband or by a stranger. And you cannot tell me that one part of beloit is called the hood just because of the color of the ppl that live there nor the violence. You could live in the middle of a 300,000 home value suburb and still have a shooting. I am so tired of beloit being trashed all the time. Did janesville forget about the one man back in 04 who got shot by a guy who just walked up and shot him over a woman supposibly dating both of them. It mostly is gang related but can happen "ANYWHERE". Why is everyone so judgemental on beloit. Beloit is not a bad place to live. You all should be sending out your condolensces on the families of the ppl who were lost these past couple months. Ppl just need to learn that this happens everywhere. And if Law Enforcment wasn't so lazy maybe they would catch a few of these guys out here shooting. Or maybe instead of driving by drug deals maybe they should be arrested. Don't blame it all on the citizens or the town. Start pointing the finger at Our So Called Protection. I do agree this town needs some work but i don't see anyone standing up and saying something. But we'll all type our opinions on some web page. Take a stand.

ladulce: To me, murder is murder, whether speaking about stranger murder or spousal murder. Children are often at risk in the latter. I just think some of those posting here need to clean up their own yards outside of Beloit before continually trashing Beloit.

City data is a site that compiles information about each city (crimes, population, home values, income, etc). As far as crime is concerned, Janesville's 2007 crime index was 280.2. Beloit's was 353.9. (A 73.7 point difference!) And, the national average is 320.9. Therefore, Janesville is lower than average. Beloit is higher than average.

http://www.city-data.com/city/Beloit-Wis...

http://www.city-data.com/city/Janesville...

Sarah- Domestic Violence cases are not considered on the "murder" cases by most people because they involve a family unit. As such, if the family moved ANYWHERE as long as they were together, the theory is that the violence would have occurred, and, that it has little to nothing to do with your environment. However, in cases such as these, the aggressor met the victim and probably did not have a tight, personal bond with him (as one would with a spouse), so, the idea of danger to the public-at-large (AKA anyone that crosses this guy) is perceived as far greater than those that are involved in a domestic dispute. Often times, a man that would NEVER strike another man feels at ease striking his wife. In this case (above) this man fired shots in public- in daytime- near a school. As we know, most domestic cases are in the home at night, and, once again, public involvement is minimal. They are, of course, both types of murder, but, one poses a risk to strangers. The other can, but, rarely does.

Beloit Police have a suspect identified:

From the WCLO newsroom:

Beloit police are looking for a suspect in the shooting death of 22-year-old Derick Kimber Monday afternoon.

Antonio Lavell Mance, 37, is a suspect in the homicide investigation and is wanted on a probation violation by the Department of Corrections. He is considered armed and dangerous

Unfortunately, gang-related murders usually go unsolved. I don't know if this latest killing is in that category, but most of this year's five murders in Beloit were. Now, Janesville, also has murders, but they seem to be tied to domestic violence with the murderer often killing himself after doing in his significant other. Why people in Janesville and elsewhere conveniently "forget" to think of these killings as murders is beyond me. Both types have aggressors and victims. And both often indirectly involve children, who are especially in close proximity to many of the family violence killings. Seems to me Beloit is not exclusive here. (Hint-hint to those looking down on Beloit.)

No, your right localboy, beloit IS the armpit of Wisconsin!

Is it me or is Beloit the armpit of Rock County? That place could use some deodorant....

Well, it isn't news that Beloit has more violent crime. It's the way people act about it that's offensive.
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Note that 5 homicides is more than Beloit has had in any of the previous 8 years. That should be of concern, rather than a reason to compare one city against another.

Looks to me according to these stats is that both cities like most across this country have serious issues. I guess I just get a little tired of seeing the comments on how bad Beloit is.

Iluvwisconsin, here is some data regarding crime rates in Janesville and Beloit. I'll allow you to draw your own conclusions.

http://www.idcide.com/citydata/wi/janesv...

http://www.idcide.com/citydata/wi/beloit...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/st...

Does anyone have actual stats on any of these claims of what area is worse than the other????

Localboy = the local bigot

Localboy...How dare you! "High and Mighty" who do you think you are? It could have happened in "good ol J-town" just as easy. It isn't perfect there either. I remember a domestic dispute that left 2 dead less than a year ago, that happened in "civilized" Janesville. I think you need to open your eyes and stop thinking you are better than the rest of us! The most important thing is two young children lost their father and a school full of children could have been seriously injured regardless of the reason or location of the shooting.

i am aware of that. i know some students that go there.

It's not "da hood" it is an elementary school full of students.

you know donkeykong you really shouldn't refer to it as the hood.. you are sectioning out a part of town that is no worse than the part of town you live on. The west side of beloit is getting by far worse than the east side. There is no reason to call it "da hood" just because of the color of ppl in that neighborhood or the crime in that neighborhood. You are a discriminatory person and that is why we still have crime in our cities.

There are these problems everywhere... but some law enforcement are lazy and don't sit around the neighborhood to monitor anything. I feel for the victim and my prayers are going out to all the fallen here in this town in the past couple months. This town seems to be getting worse when it comes to homicides. Too many shootings. why can't ppl just get along. Grow up. And yes this stuff does happen in janesville, wi, fl,ill, it happens everywhere. you cannot just pinpoint one specific place when it happens everywhere. Laws just need to be inforced and ppl need to start paying for their wrong, and realize it's a life your taking and think of their families and how your family would feel if it was you.

To TheJoker: How dare you! All I did was comment on what is happening in Beloit AND other cities in this country. No where in my original post did I mention race.

Well I see the Klan is alive and well again in Janesville. Quit spewing your hate and ignorance, localboy and cynicaleye! Beloit is not better or wose than Janesville. Both cities have crime and bad people making it worse for everyone. Please take your pointy head thinking elsewhere!

It was not just another day. I was in the school and just knowing what could have happened is upsetting. Thank God the weather was not nice, or we could have been outside for an extra recess. Thank God the car went to the parking lot and not through the window into a classroom of 4 year olds. Thank God it was not dismissal time and our 1st and 2nd graders were not walking on that side of the building. Our school, students, and staff will always think about what could have been.

Wow....another day to bash Beloit???

Just another day in da hood in Beloit. But no different than any other city in this state and country.

localboy, you must be stuck in 1968 or blind! It's not just Janesville or Beloit. It's everywhere. Again, people are dead. My condolences to the family.

Read the last sentence of this story. This is in a city of 30,000 people........

Sandman - this won't soon be an average day in "J-town" because we are too high and mighty for this type of living. We are actually civilized up here.

Sounds like an average weekday in B-town, and soon to be an average day in J-town!

I'm sure it has little or nothing to do with drugs and gangs and IL transplants, but then we'll never hear any more about it now will we, at least not here!