Violence Explodes (St. Louis, Kirkwood, Creve Coeur: 2013, house, college)

[BioMechanical]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

My recollection is different and during that time period I was either in college or a new graduate who went out a lot and spent a fair amount of time downtown or places like the landing. I always felt safe downtown. Now, downtown was more empty, you didn't have the lofts, and Washington avenue wasn't developed, etc. So in some respects downtown is in better shape BUT now there appears to be more violent crime downtown, armed robberies, downtown residents being assaulted/robbed, rolling shootouts in broad daylight, etc.

In my opinion, having grown up here, downtown has never been safer than it's been in recent years. 2014 was certainly a step in the wrong direction with some high profile crimes obviously, and I hope they get things under control, but it's still not as bad as the media tries to portray it. No matter what you do, things are going to happen sadly. I don't feel unsafe downtown though.

Overall though with the loft district, and people moving back to the city, and the construction projects that are attempting to revitalize downtown it feels a lot different to me than it used to. It feels like there is a lot more life down there. I'm also really excited about the startup sector gaining momentum, and I think we have a good chance at becoming a major tech hub down the road. Lots of venture capitalists were visiting in 2014. We have some big names from silicon valley that are really interested in breathing new life into St. Louis, and they are already working to do so. New jobs brings new people, and a new atmosphere. It could end up being a very different place than it's been in my lifetime, and I would love to see that happen. I have hope.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by BioMechanical

In my opinion, having grown up here, downtown has never been safer than it's been in recent years. 2014 was certainly a step in the wrong direction with some high profile crimes obviously, and I hope they get things under control, but it's still not as bad as the media tries to portray it. No matter what you do, things are going to happen sadly. I don't feel unsafe downtown though.

Overall though with the loft district, and people moving back to the city, and the construction projects that are attempting to revitalize downtown it feels a lot different to me than it used to. It feels like there is a lot more life down there. I'm also really excited about the startup sector gaining momentum, and I think we have a good chance at becoming a major tech hub down the road. Lots of venture capitalists were visiting in 2014. We have some big names from silicon valley that are really interested in breathing new life into St. Louis, and they are already working to do so. New jobs brings new people, and a new atmosphere. It could end up being a very different place than it's been in my lifetime, and I would love to see that happen. I have hope.

People don't feel safe:

Blues fans worried about security in downtown St. Louis | FOX2now.com

And it is harming downtown:

[Bill McClellan: Bring in the horses, downtown businessman urges, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1-16-15]:
But Wednesday afternoon, I was strolling back to the newspaper when I happened to pass Copia Wine Bar and Restaurant, which occupies several storefronts — and 15,000 square feet — on the south side of Washington Avenue between 11th Street and Tucker Boulevard. Almost passed it, I should say. I decided to have a glass of wine.
It was almost 5 o’clock. The place was nearly empty.
Amer Hawatmeh owns and runs the place. He came over to chat. (All right. I’ve stopped for a glass of wine once or twice before.) “How’s business?” I asked.
“Terrible,” he said.
Lunch and dinner are down. Happy hour is way down. Parties have been hit the hardest, he said. He told me he had almost $225,000 in cancellations in November and December. Mostly holiday parties, he said.

“Right now the weather is bad, but even before, you could see something was wrong. We used to look out the window and you’d think this was a major metropolis, but you don’t see that any more. The street is empty.”
That is not exactly welcome news for an entertainment district.
The future seems clouded. What will Ferguson do to the convention business? But that’s the future. The present is troubled enough. Hawatmeh said he didn’t know how long he’d be able to continue.
I asked what he would do if he were in charge. “We need more police,” he said.
“Visible police. I love the police. But you need to be able to see them. You know what I would do? Put them on horses. Get those horses from Forest Park and bring them here. If there is a crowd of people, and you have a policeman in the middle of the crowd, you can’t see him. But if he is on a horse, everybody can see him.”

[FrankMiller]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

My recollection is different and during that time period I was either in college or a new graduate who went out a lot and spent a fair amount of time downtown or places like the landing. I always felt safe downtown. Now, downtown was more empty, you didn't have the lofts, and Washington avenue wasn't developed, etc. So in some respects downtown is in better shape BUT now there appears to be more violent crime downtown, armed robberies, downtown residents being assaulted/robbed, rolling shootouts in broad daylight, etc.

It's funny how dramatic the difference can be between perception and reality. Human beings are funny creatures.

[BioMechanical]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

People don't feel safe:

...

I can't blame people feeling uneasy with recent events. I even mentioned that recent months have been a step back, there is no denying that, but recent events are not really representative of how things have been downtown for quite a few years now.

Generally it's been nice down there for a long while. I hope we get back on track in 2015. Personally I haven't been bothered, but I don't put myself in bad situations, and I have spent time in much scarier places than St. Louis.

[adner]

So sad. St. Louis is a wonderful place to live and visit....then you have this.

[marigolds6]

So, the Drury shooter was caught.....
And he's from Poplar Bluff. Strange. It's like he decide that St Louis was the place to come do a robbery and get away with it.

[FrankMiller]

Originally Posted by marigolds6

So, the Drury shooter was caught.....
And he's from Poplar Bluff. Strange. It's like he decide that St Louis was the place to come do a robbery and get away with it.

That's a big supposition. Maybe he just wanted some ravioli or something.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by BioMechanical

I can't blame people feeling uneasy with recent events. I even mentioned that recent months have been a step back, there is no denying that, but recent events are not really representative of how things have been downtown for quite a few years now.

Generally it's been nice down there for a long while. I hope we get back on track in 2015. Personally I haven't been bothered, but I don't put myself in bad situations, and I have spent time in much scarier places than St. Louis.

I'm not sure a lot of victims recently have put themselves in bad situations.

[aliasfinn]

I can't keep track of these shootings.
I never know which one they're talking about, there's too many.

[MUTGR]

Counting the one confirmed murder this morning in the Bevo Mill neighborhood on Itaska, St. Louis city has 13 homicides and it's January 19. 13 (and counting- the other shooting victim is in critical condition) in 19 days. I have a sibling that lives very near Bevo Mill.


Perception is reality.