His family was outraged. "We don't understand why they have to shoot to kill," said one of his aunties. "He was only 16 years old."
Jared, may he rest in peace, was indeed only 16. Relatives paint him as a nice, quiet kid. But he was also:
It's way too easy for youngsters to get into trouble. They are confronted by many choices.
Calculators and personal computers help students whip through homework assignments, resulting in more free time. They have the money and wheels to emulate the bad habits of adults - smoking, drinking, speeding, having unsafe sex and taking drugs - at an earlier age. And thanks to those wise-acre kids on the TV sit-coms, gone are the days when children were seen and not heard.
Most distressing of all, they are getting killed.
When you live in a so-called island paradise, it's easy to tune out such ugly news. For goodness sake, don't bother us about drive-by shootings in L.A. or village slaughters in Third World countries. Lucky we live Hawaii!
Unluckily, this state mirrors the world.
Therein lies the need for Hawaii's curfew law on children under 16 (without adult supervision) between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., 365 days a year. Lots of very smart people don't believe in the concept because they say kids must learn to be responsible, it's a violation of their civil rights, statistics show curfews don't curb crime, etc.
But the beauty of such a clearly defined limitation is that it pares down some mind-boggling options for restless youth.
Let's see. Should they hang out on the street corner after the club closes, stage a impromptu drag race along Kalanianaole Highway or party hearty at the local beach park?
None of the above. A curfew can cull these choices rather effectively.
The answer is go home, sweeties, or at least hang out at somebody else's house. Get off the already-mischief-filled streets.
AHHHH, yes. The cries of youthful whining fill the air. "It's not fair. Why do all minors have to abide by curfews because of a few bad apples?" Three reasons.
1) A curfew isn't meant to punish. Its purpose in the community is to keep peace.
2) Consider it a temporary restraint. When keiki grow up - physically, mentally, spiritually - they can stay out as late as they like. Ironically, they'll probably want to go home and sleep early, like the rest of us old-timers.
3) Jared Fe Benito was not a bad apple but look what happened to him. When he jumped into that stolen Honda, he was a fun-loving teen-ager. When they pulled him out, he was a dead man.