What's the connection between the two random assaults at the Inner Harbor on July 4? It's called "the cycle of violence." We have one victim, an adult, who "re-engaged" the suspect after a first fight, instead of walking away. And an acquaintance laments that the suspect used a broken bottle "instead of his fists like a real man."

Then we have a second victim, a 4-year-old boy, who says he wants to "punch [the perpetrator] in the face" — that is, to re-engage ("Child shot at harbor rebounding quickly," July 7).

There's little hope for a city that might think such a quote is cute.

Christopher Wanjek, Baltimore