Not in my Neighborhood

Living in Las Vegas, there is no shortage of crime. Less than two weeks ago, a teenage boy was gunned down while he was walking home from school with a group of friends. He died. A couple of days later, a man was shot and killed during what police described as a home invasion robbery. That shooting happened just a mile from my new home.

Working in news for nearly a decade, I have heard it said over and over, “this is a quiet neighborhood,” or “I never thought it would happen here.” I find myself asking now, “Why not?”

There is no such thing as a safe neighborhood anymore. Everyone at some point is at risk. Sure, there are small communities with little to no crime, but violence is everywhere. It can happen at anytime, anywhere.

Just this morning, I read a story on MSNBC.com about a man who shot and killed his mother before murdering a neighbor and a small child. And, police said,“This was a tragic event in a quiet neighborhood.” Wouldn’t this be tragic anywhere? What callous murder isn’t tragic?

I pose this to the media and all of the other journalists trying to get the story… when you are writing your story for print or air, don’t say, “the murder happened in a quiet neighborhood,” or “this upscale community never expected such a violent crime to happen here.” It only leads people to believe they are safe or somehow immune from some terrible crime touching their lives.

Category : crime, Life, News
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