Jacksonville Homicides (Miami, Orlando, Miami Beach: violent crime, mortgage, appliances)

[Florida2014]

Humidity killed someone around Ponte Vedra Beach in 2009. I would NOT consider that area! We plan to move to Leadville, CO to avoid humidity altogether. Better safe than sorry.

[Thundarr457]

I started this thread 2 weeks ago and there were 39 homicides and now there are 46. Anyone who thinks Jacksonville doesn't have a serious problem is kidding themselves. No one seems to care. As long as its people in the "hood" killing each other. You can imagine if this happened in PVB or other white suburb there would be a task force the next day. Its not so much I am worrying about getting killed if we moved there because we can avoid "those areas" but the utter inaction and disregard. This not a problem only in Jax but around the US in general including up here in Buffalo.

[Florida2014]

What "action" are you expecting? Are the police somehow supposed to anticipate these gang murders? What would you have them do?

[Thundarr457]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

What "action" are you expecting? Are the police somehow supposed to anticipate these gang murders? What would you have them do?

Nothing. Just let people kill each other like they are doing now.

[Florida2014]

Ok, then you complain with no solutions. Great, thanks.

[Thundarr457]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

Ok, then you complain with no solutions. Great, thanks.

I am not in law enforcement in Jacksonville. I would think your elected officials would have some solutions.

[twoforjoymagpie]

Originally Posted by Runninglikethieves

I think the crime in Jax is overblown, but now watch something happen to me since I said that.

But I've never had problems in living in Avondale or when passing through the other neighborhoods either. My fiancé and I do a lot of walking in the evenings too. We frequently walk from the west side of Avondale all the way to five points in Riverside at night. Although mostly in the winter months, when it gets darker earlier. It's still light out when we do it this time of year. When I bought here, I made sure to research the neighborhoods because I do like to walk for exercise.

Looking at that map, there's been about 4 or 5 murders in my neighborhood in the last 10 years. And by neighborhood, I mean within a mile or so. Not on my block. Although there was one a block away from me, but I remember neighbors who had lived there then telling me it was a person that the guy knew that came in and shot him. Not a random break in and murder. None of them seem to be random.

Been following this thread, and just wanted to chime in with our family's experience. Our son and daughter, ages 21 and 25, share an apartment in Riverside. They love where they live - the walkability of it, the shops and eateries, the under the bridge market, the art scene, museum... They also like their apartment, in an old historic building that spans a block at the intersection of Copeland and Riverside Avenue. It's close to the river and shares the street with beautiful, older stately homes.

Last November, however, they were awakened, at 3:00 am, by two men who had kicked in a panel to their front door, and easily flipped and slid locks to gain access. They were ordered to lay face down on the living room floor. One of the men stood over them with a gun, while the other turned the whole place upside down. They ended up taking both kids' phones, my son's wallet (had no cash in it, just a driver's license and debit card) and rifled through my daughter's wallet, only taking her insulin pen from it.

They continued to lay face down until the men left, and not able to find their car keys in the mess, they walked to the nearby 7-Eleven, where a security guard offered his phone for them to contact the police.

There has not been any closure on this incident. Their apartment was processed as a crime scene, the kids were interviewed by a detective weeks after the incident, and we have heard nothing since. Our son's wallet was found later that day by a stranger, intact, on top of a pile of trash at the Bold Bean. Their door was replaced, locks were amped up, and the whole complex was given keypads on all entryway doors. Our kids decided that they wanted to remain in Riverside.

Two weeks ago, our son was being dropped off back home by a friend, who also wanted to first stop to get something at the same 7-Eleven mentioned earlier. This was at about midnight, on a Saturday. My son stayed in the car as the friend went in. My son then saw a man enter the store with a towel over his hand, and a shirt pulled up over his face. He then watched as the clerk, and his friend, were held up at gunpoint. The robbery suspect made off with $50 and cigarettes from the store, and $6 from the friend.

Guess what? My kids still love Riverside. I am simply offering what has happened to our family as a caution to you. Be careful.

Back in November, when we rushed to meet our kids after the home invasion at gunpoint? There we found them in the middle of the street, along with the crime scene van and police cars lining the street. The police assured us that this was one of the nicest areas of Riverside. That something like this was unheard of there. And as we stood there hugging our kids, a very elderly lady passed us, strolling in her crocs, at 4:00 am. Just taking an early morning walk, she said.

[kokonutty]

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

I am not in law enforcement in Jacksonville. I would think your elected officials would have some solutions.

Perhaps the gang killings themselves will reduce the homicide rate in the future.

[Runninglikethieves]

Originally Posted by twoforjoymagpie

Been following this thread, and just wanted to chime in with our family's experience. Our son and daughter, ages 21 and 25, share an apartment in Riverside. They love where they live - the walkability of it, the shops and eateries, the under the bridge market, the art scene, museum... They also like their apartment, in an old historic building that spans a block at the intersection of Copeland and Riverside Avenue. It's close to the river and shares the street with beautiful, older stately homes.

Last November, however, they were awakened, at 3:00 am, by two men who had kicked in a panel to their front door, and easily flipped and slid locks to gain access. They were ordered to lay face down on the living room floor. One of the men stood over them with a gun, while the other turned the whole place upside down. They ended up taking both kids' phones, my son's wallet (had no cash in it, just a driver's license and debit card) and rifled through my daughter's wallet, only taking her insulin pen from it.

They continued to lay face down until the men left, and not able to find their car keys in the mess, they walked to the nearby 7-Eleven, where a security guard offered his phone for them to contact the police.

There has not been any closure on this incident. Their apartment was processed as a crime scene, the kids were interviewed by a detective weeks after the incident, and we have heard nothing since. Our son's wallet was found later that day by a stranger, intact, on top of a pile of trash at the Bold Bean. Their door was replaced, locks were amped up, and the whole complex was given keypads on all entryway doors. Our kids decided that they wanted to remain in Riverside.

Two weeks ago, our son was being dropped off back home by a friend, who also wanted to first stop to get something at the same 7-Eleven mentioned earlier. This was at about midnight, on a Saturday. My son stayed in the car as the friend went in. My son then saw a man enter the store with a towel over his hand, and a shirt pulled up over his face. He then watched as the clerk, and his friend, were held up at gunpoint. The robbery suspect made off with $50 and cigarettes from the store, and $6 from the friend.

Guess what? My kids still love Riverside. I am simply offering what has happened to our family as a caution to you. Be careful.

Back in November, when we rushed to meet our kids after the home invasion at gunpoint? There we found them in the middle of the street, along with the crime scene van and police cars lining the street. The police assured us that this was one of the nicest areas of Riverside. That something like this was unheard of there. And as we stood there hugging our kids, a very elderly lady passed us, strolling in her crocs, at 4:00 am. Just taking an early morning walk, she said.

First of all, I would like to say that I'm very sorry to hear that happened to your kids. And I'm also very glad to hear that nothing worse than that happened. My fiancé has a friend from work, who knows someone that lives in the same building, or at least I believe. Because she was telling me about this right around that time. And that something similar happened within a month somewhere else in Riverside. And they were wondering if it was connected.

When I'm in that area, I come across some homeless people once in a while. Seemingly harmless homeless people, that is. I never really felt unsafe there, but I don't walk around late like that too much. I have a few times when my friend visits, like we did about 10 nights ago or so. My fiancé and I walk there a lot between 6:00-8:00 PM. Which it's dark at that time in the winter months.

Riverside is alright, but it's not really for me, but I have to say I prefer where I am in Avondale. When I first moved here, I was looking at places in Murray Hill and even Riverside. I came across the home I eventually bought, which was a steal, as most of Avondale is out of my price range by a lot. My only complaint so far in 2.5 years is I wish I were a little closer to the beach. I surf and like to go in the mornings right after sunrise. I have flexible hours at work, so I'm able to do it. But I'm 35-ish minutes from Mayport and the Jax beaches if traffic is good. But I think I plan to maybe start a family here. I invested a lot of work into this place after buying it and am so happy with the work my friend and I did. It's a 2 bedroom, I can easily make the front porch a bedroom with the way we've done it, if we have two children. I've heard the schools aren't so hot though.

Jacksonville isn't for everyone, I'm only here because of a job offer. But I have enjoyed my time here and plan to stay forever. Living in St Augustine isn't a desirable enough commute for me and I'm not interested in Yulee or anything to the north and out west on I-10. I'd probably move to Mandarin if anywhere else.

[BabyBoomers2]

The OP is absolutely right here, but most people here just simply won't admit that Jax has a problem like this. "As long as it doesn't affect me personally, why should I care what the crime rate is", seems to be the all-around statement. But, then again, people try/do downplay the crime rate here just like people in Denver, Co downplay their winters. We don't downplay either! We know what the crime is like here, whether it's in the "hood" or on the Southside, just like we know how winter is in Denver, Co metro.

Actually, I thought the new JSO Sheriff and new Major would do something about the crime, but that just doesn't seem to happen. Was this just campaign talk?

Funny thing is, and I've mentioned this before..........just how much crime is done in/around the Town Center? Seems like that's about the safest/non-crime area in the entire area.

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

I started this thread 2 weeks ago and there were 39 homicides and now there are 46. Anyone who thinks Jacksonville doesn't have a serious problem is kidding themselves. No one seems to care. As long as its people in the "hood" killing each other. You can imagine if this happened in PVB or other white suburb there would be a task force the next day. Its not so much I am worrying about getting killed if we moved there because we can avoid "those areas" but the utter inaction and disregard. This not a problem only in Jax but around the US in general including up here in Buffalo.