Crime Taking Its Toll On Raleigh-Frayser Neighborhood

 

(Memphis) People living in one Raleigh-Frayser neighborhood are fed up with the crime and violence around them and want the city to do something about it.

The latest incident was a deadly shooting at the corner of Glenalp and Derbyshire overnight.

Neighbors say it’s not the first time gunfire has sent them to the floor.

“There is a lot of crime over here,” said Belinda Lowery.

Belinda Lowery is so used to the gun fire in her neighborhood she didn’t even hear the shots outside her house this morning and had no idea someone had been killed.

“I mean this a neighborhood where you can hear gun shots in your living room. You can watch TV and it’s just normal and what we usually do is get down,” said Lowery.

Police say the scene was chaotic and people told them the shooting was the result of a neighborhood dispute.

Neighbors say they’ve been waiting for something like this to happen.

“I do know there is a lot of that junk going on around here,” said Pearl Boykin.

In fact, in just the last month 40 crimes were reported within one half mile of this block.

Most were assaults, acts of vandalism and burglaries.

Pearl Boykin says she and her husband can’t even take vacations together anymore because they’re afraid if no one is home someone will break in.

“We are afraid when we come back here there will be nothing left,” said Boykin.

We wanted to know what city leaders had to say about their concerns and took them right to District 7 Councilman Lee Harris.

“I think it’s a horrible situation. My heart goes out to her and I get a little angry and frustrated,” said Harris.

But Harris say the city council just agreed to fund the new police recruiting class and re-allocated money for a new police structure.

“I think it’s going to make a big impact. I think it’s closer to a large-scale military style approach to policing which I think they are going to undertake in some neighborhoods,” said Harris.

Lee says residents can help by letting police and council members know what is going on in their neighborhoods.

 

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