Cycle of violence at work in Harbor incidents

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