WTC worker who ‘narrowly escaped’ Sept. 11 terror attacks beaten to death by 3 teens: cops – New York Post

Incident Report: Homicide of Roger Borkum in Jacksonville, Florida

Case Summary

This report details the violent death of Roger Borkum, a 64-year-old male, on October 23, following an assault on October 19 in Jacksonville, Florida. The incident highlights significant challenges related to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning poverty, health, inequality, urban safety, and justice.

Violation of SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The fatal assault on Mr. Borkum represents a severe breach of public safety and personal security, directly contravening the aims of SDG 16, which seeks to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates.

• Victim: Roger Borkum, 64.
• Date of Death: October 23, following injuries sustained on October 19.
• Nature of Incident: The victim was found severely beaten, having been kicked and stomped repeatedly.
• Arrested Individuals:
  1. Marcavion Lacey, 19
  2. Robert Pope, 17
  3. Justin Curry, 13 (12 at the time of the attack)
• Legal Status: All three suspects were indicted for murder on November 20.

The involvement of youth offenders, one as young as 12, underscores a critical failure in societal structures intended to foster peaceful communities and prevent violence.

Analysis of Contributing Factors Through the SDG Framework

SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The victim’s socioeconomic status is a critical factor in this case. At the time of the attack, Mr. Borkum was experiencing homelessness, placing him in a position of extreme vulnerability. This situation directly relates to:

• SDG 1: No Poverty: The lack of stable housing and economic security exposed the victim to heightened risks of violence.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: Homelessness is a manifestation of deep-seated social and economic inequalities, which can marginalize individuals and limit their access to safety and protection.

SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

The incident occurred in a public, downtown area, raising questions about the safety and inclusivity of urban spaces. SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The assault on a vulnerable individual in a public space indicates a failure to ensure the safety of all community members, a key target of this goal.

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education)

The young age of the perpetrators points to systemic issues concerning youth development, well-being, and education.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The devastating consequences of this event impact the physical and mental well-being of the victim’s family and the broader community. It also raises concerns about the social and psychological factors contributing to extreme violence among youth.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The participation of minors in such a violent crime suggests potential gaps in access to quality education, social guidance, and opportunities that foster positive development and prevent entry into cycles of violence. The Sheriff’s Office’s call for parental involvement highlights the need for stronger social support systems, which are intrinsically linked to educational and community environments.

Conclusion

The death of Roger Borkum is a tragic event that serves as an indicator of profound societal challenges. Addressing the root causes of such violence requires a comprehensive approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Progress toward achieving SDG 16 (Peace and Justice) is inseparable from advancements in reducing poverty (SDG 1), tackling inequality (SDG 10), ensuring quality education (SDG 4), and building safe, inclusive communities (SDG 11).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article explicitly states that the victim, Roger Borkum, “was homeless at the time” of the attack. Homelessness is the most extreme form of poverty, directly connecting the victim’s circumstances to the central goal of eradicating poverty in all its forms.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The incident occurred “in Downtown Jacksonville, FL.,” a public urban space. The goal of making cities safe and sustainable is challenged by such acts of violence. The victim’s homelessness also points to a failure in providing safe and adequate housing for all residents, a key component of this SDG.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The core of the story is a violent crime—a man being “beaten to death.” The article details the violence (“kicking and stomping him,” “blood ‘pooled’ around his head”), the involvement of very young offenders (“one of whom was just 12 at the time”), and the response of the justice system (“Three suspects…were arrested,” “indicted for murder”). This directly relates to the goals of reducing violence, promoting the rule of law, and addressing youth crime.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. The victim’s status as a “homeless” person shows that he was living in the most severe dimension of poverty, highlighting a failure to meet this target.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services. The victim’s homelessness is a direct contradiction to the objective of providing adequate and safe housing for all.
   • Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces. The brutal attack on a public “sidewalk” in “Downtown Jacksonville” demonstrates that this public space was not safe for the victim, a vulnerable member of the community.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article is a case study of the failure to achieve this target, as it describes in detail how Roger Borkum was “beaten to death,” a clear instance of a violence-related death.
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. While the victim was an adult, the perpetrators were youths, including a 12-year-old. The sheriff’s comment that this case is a “heartbreaking reminder of how young some offenders have become” directly points to the issue of children’s involvement in extreme violence, which is a facet of this target.
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article mentions the response of the “Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office,” the arrest of the suspects, and their indictment for murder, which are all elements of the justice system and the rule of law in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 16.1: The article provides a direct data point for Indicator 16.1.1 (Number of victims of intentional homicide). The report of Roger Borkum being “beaten to death” is a documented case of an intentional homicide that would be included in official crime statistics used to measure this indicator.

2. Indicator for Targets 1.2 and 11.1: The statement that the victim “was homeless at the time” serves as a qualitative indicator for the prevalence of homelessness. Official statistics on the number of homeless individuals are used to measure the extent of extreme poverty and the lack of access to adequate housing.

3. Indicator for Target 16.2: The article implies the importance of tracking the rate of violent crime committed by juveniles. The specific mention of the offenders’ ages (“Justin Curry, 13,” “Marcavion Lacey, 19,” and “Robert Pope, 17,” with Curry being “just 12 at the time of the attack”) highlights youth involvement in violent crime as a critical issue to measure and address.

4. Indicator for Target 11.7: The description of the event—a man being “severely beaten” on a “sidewalk” in a “Downtown” area—acts as an anecdotal indicator related to the public’s perception of safety in urban spaces. Such incidents contribute to data on crime rates in public areas and influence community feelings of security or insecurity.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nypost.com