Photo:Courtesy of The GDP
I sat down at the kitchen table this morning, as I do everyday, with a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and a glass of Sunny Delight ready to read the morning news. I unfolded the local newspaper and was shocked to read that there had been a deadly shooting yesterday morning just about a mile from where we live! One man is dead and the other man is in critical condition. I don't know if you're like me, but stories like that rattle me to the core. My girls were in school only a mile or two from where the shooting happened...much too close to home!
All of this originated, according to the newspaper, at a skate park that was built about a year ago. It's become a huge hangout for kids. One woman who was interviewed for the article said that she doesn't allow her teenage boys to frequent the park because they've been offered drugs there before, from marijuana to cocaine! My girls are not allowed to go there, either, and thankfully, they've never even asked.
One reason we chose to move to the neighborhood we live in is because of the high standard of living and the local schools are some of the top ones in the state. However, after living here for the past four years, we've seen a steady increase in the incidents of violent acts in surrounding areas. Now, it seems to be moving our direction. It leaves me wondering if there is anywhere that we can feel SAFE anymore?
31 comments:
That is so sad. You shouldn't feel anything but safe in your own home and neighborhood. I'll be praying for you.
April, safety is an illusion. Truly, the only place that you can really be safe is in the shadow of His wings. In terms of physical safety? I suppose there are websites with statistical crime data that could give you that info, and some of the magazines have rankings for "best place to live" based on that and other criteria. It IS scary to see urbanization reaching it's tentacles out to the once-rural areas. West Cobb used to be farmland; now it's starting to resemble pretty much any other suburb of the ATL. Glad your girls don't have a desire to be in the middle of all of the crazy!
We had a lady in our area that got shot while just sitting on park bench IN A PARK, reading a book... someone just came out & shot her... at a PARK!!! where kids were playing a few feet away!!!
It is really scary when things get that close to home!
I have to agree - there really is no completely safe place....the peace comes from trusting in our savior. Glad that your girls have never been "affected" by that park...and now you definitely know its one place you probably won't go.
We had a shooting yesterday too, about a block or two from my house! The police pulled over a car and the man pulled an AK47 on them so they shot him. (Luckily the police weren't hurt.) I heard it but living in the city (albeit in a "good" neighborhood) we have gotten used to hearing gunfire at least once a week, so I didn't think anything of it. Scary!
Hi April
That's so scary. I don't think we have as many shootings in England. People are not allowed to buy or own guns unless they have a license for shooting as a sport.
We like Honey Nut Cheerios too!
Lindsay
x
Our tiny little town in Wisconsin hasn't had a "murder" since I was in High School. We love it here.
Very alarming. I always like to pretend I can keep my boys in their perfectly safe bubble forever.
Prayer and precaution is my ammo.
.mac :)
I sooo hear you on this one April! I've come to the conclusion that there is no safe place on God's green earth. Truly, we are experiencing the end of times and the Bible tells us exactly how bad it will get, and we know it's getting worse and worse all the time. It's all very scary so I just pray...and then pray some more!
I think there is something everywhere. As of right now, we have a so-called serial killer. 8 women have been found murdered here in the last couple of years. Scary, indeed!
Stay safe!
Unfortunately, Amy is right--- it's everywhere! But that alone doesn't make it easier when that "everywhere" is in your neighborhood!
((hugs))
Oh wow - how scary!!! I would be nervous too. And no, there really isn't anywhere "safe" anymore. Pretty sad.
I love your new bloggy look! It's so pretty!!!!
We hear things like this in the news daily. It used to be confined to the areas around Detroit, but now, it has been moving in all over. The new gun laws and ability to carry concealed weapons have aided criminals, and even people with hot tempers choose to shoot, sometimes with no cause at all. Recently, a car dealership offered a free assault weapon to anyone purchasing a new truck from their showrooms. Oh - they didn't just hand them a gun - but they did hand them a coupon to get a free gun at any gun shop, provided they were approved for registration of that gun! At least they were using their common sense! (RIGHT! I was outraged when I hear that on our local news!) Such a DEAL!
I don't think we can escape the fruit of sin in this world. It is horrible. I'm sorry this happened so close to home.
I'm sorry for the people involved as well. God bless the families.
Love,
b
So sad....yes, that is close to "home" but it can happen anywhere..anytime...
Sorry to hear that.
sandy toe
I will definitely be praying for you and the family...and the neighborhood. The city may want to think about hiring security guards.
Oh my sweet April...I'm like you...things like this rattle me to the core too!
I'm sorry for all involved.
Big hugs for you!
you can come live where we live! we love it here :)
Yikes!
I feel very confident that whatever happens in this life is ordained by God-the bad and the good...
I pray that you have peace as you lay your head down at night!
Last year I opened my paper and read that just around the corner a young girl was raped. The man had broke in through the window. It then was all over the news. I was in total shock that this happened a few houses away and that I was asleep and just lucky that he didn't break into our windows. Scary.....
That is sooo sad and scary! A few years ago we had a major shooting in a mall downtown, it was just too close for me. I sometimes wish we could be protected in a bubble!
I totally understand how you feel sweetie.
Hey April,
I got this in my email today; I subscribe to "Groupon", which sends a coupon a day for something in the Atl area. Not sure if Decatur is anywhere near you, cause I sadly only know my area .. but if this is close, it sounds like a good deal for the Wahoo Grill..
http://www.groupon.com/atlanta/deals/wahoo-grill
hugs...
Ooooh- that is so scary, April! I grew up in Knoxville, and even though we live just 45 minutes from there now, I can't believe some of the things that are happening in what I once thought was such a safe place to live. It pays to be careful no matter where you live these days!
April,
We live in a high crime city with shooting and stabbings on a regular basis. My poor hubby has to take care of all these people. He works at the level 2 trauma center here and he sees the worst of the worst.
We live in the "infamous" Northern school district. Everyone wants to move out here because the school is brand new. As a matter of fact they just got their senior class this year. It is VERY safe out here BUT we are worried that will change. Unfortunately mean is everywhere!
Oh April, we have the same sort of thing in our city here in NC. I've said exactly the same thing that you have in this post. When my younger daughter was on the campus of UNC in her freshman year, there was a terrorist-related shooting at noon in the middle of the campus. Thankfully nobody was killed but that didn't make it any less terrifying. In her junior year, the student body president was abducted from her home by in the early hours of the morning and murdered in cold blood--this is in a very "safe" town. Safety is an illusion and our best defense is prayer.
Oh, April! That is so scary. And really, isn't it amazing, how crime is creeping into the best neighborhoods. Very scary stuff! I am glad the girls were safe at their schools. And I am super glad they never ask to go to the park! When Kaish was a baby I used to take him to play at parks in the city because I wanted to make sure I wasn't secluding us from the real world. Now I wonder what the heck I was thinking. I get scared when I drive in bad neighborhoods in the city now. I used to think I could change the whole world. Now I know better.
This world can be so concerning. We just want a safe place to raise our precious families in.
So sorry to hear of this chaos encroaching your community!
I'm so sorry that happened. It's sad how it's just not the same as when we grew up, where kids could safely play outside all day from dawn to dusk. Unfortunately, it's a different world we live in. L(
What a sad story! WOW! That's too bad! This old world is just so cruel sometimes!
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