MPSA Mailbag 10/23/2011
What the neighbors are telling us – as always, mailbag items do not necessarily reflect MPSA position…
#1: I was just walking my dogs at around 12:30 am after work (I work at night), and was verbally threatened and chased by a known transvestitite prostitute. I am still shaken up so I don’t know exactly what to say or ask for. He was saying that he knows I call the police and they don’t do anything, and that I can’t do anything about them. I didn’t respond until he started chasing me. I did use a tactic I have learned (not one of proudest moments) to humiliate him and said too bad his mom didn’t put him in a dumpster.
He froze in shock from my words and stopped chasing me long enough for me to get nearer my door. I had run right into the middle of 3rd street to avoid the threatening fist then ran towards my door at 3rd and Piedmont. After a couple of seconds he started chasing me again and I ran out into 3rd street again and started calling 911. He threatened me again and I acted like I was taking his picture. He kept on running and as I got to my door (this all took seconds) I saw an MPSA officer on a motorcylcle pass by and told him quickly that the guy had threatened and chased me. The officer asked if I am willing to prosecute and I said YES. Soon many, many police cars showed up, and Mr. Hosea Smith was arrested.
This is just one of countless times I have been in fear for my body and life. After ten years at this address I have called 911 probably hundreds of times, and have been thrown in the street twice, filed 2 police reports after having my window in my condo broken (I live on the third floor!) and my car vandalized recently because they know that I will take their pictures, call the police and tell them to get away from my home when they make noise in the middle of the night.
At any rate, I am asking support when I go to municipal court on Monday at 8:00 am. The transvestitute’s name is Hosea Smith. Municipal court. Please please help me. I can be reached on my phone and really would appreciate any assistance. I offer my help as well to any of you. The only good thing I can think of that will result from this is that maybe we can all start working together to eradicate this insanity in our lovely neighborhood!
#2: I nearly got shot this morning about 10:30 A.M.near the intersection of Parkway and North. My neighbor and I were in his car which was making a left turn onto Parkway from North Ave. A man in a black jacket and blue jeans snatched a package from a man dressed all in white (white pants and white top). The man in white started shooting at the man in the black jacket. Bullets were flying everywhere. We thought the bullets were coming into the car. The man in white chased the man in the black jacket down Parkway Drive, past the Stratford Inn.
When the man in the black jacket got past the Stratford Inn, he turned left and ran through the vacant lot toward Boulevard. The man in white was chasing him and shooting all the time. The police are still all over the area. This happened in front of the property on Parkway that NPU-M denied a variance by one vote for a fence which the owner wanted because of the crime in the area. The scary thing is that seniors and persons with disabilities from the Cosby-Spear highrise walk or ride their wheel chairs all the time to Family Dollar through this area.
#3: We have repeatedly observed incidents of teenage youths, probably Grady students skipping school/class, loitering in the alley running between 8th and 9th from the opening on Taft. I have been running these kids off for years, but in light of recent events feel that something needs to be done. We have repeatedly warned kids that they are trespassing and that they run the risk of being wrongly accused if something happens in the area.
Today, a repeat offender was discovered as my partner was leaving for work. 17-18 year-old thin black male, Kelly-green ball cap, matching green hightops, black book bag and tan pants was found at the entrance to the alley at 8:43am. He hung around despite my partner sitting in the car in the alley, then he walked up 8th Street very slowly, looking back and cursing when he realized that he was being watched and followed. He scooted into the bushes near Glendale, eventually returning back to Taft and the alley. We place a 911 call during this and police arrived after youth returned to Taft. He was questioned by officer, but I am unsure of outcome. This same youth has been asked numerous times not to hang out in the alley and has been defiant when asked to leave.
#4: In response to the latest MPSA Report of Armed Robberies: I appeal to all residents of Midtown to please help and put an end to the increase in this violent street crime in our neighborhood. I for one love this neighborhood and will NOT put up with this type of activity. I request that you please donate what you can in order to pay for more MPSA patrol hours. [It only took me two minutes to make a donation to MPSA using PayPal] . If you would prefer to donate by check, I would be glad to collect them and deliver to the MPSA. I thank you for your assistance with this urgent matter.
Thanks, Brad Edmonds – Block Captain 9th & 10th Streets
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