Rochester, N.Y. – People who live in Maplewood say their neighborhood is at a tipping point, and Wednesday night they met to make sure that things tip in the right direction.
Hundreds of people packed the Aquinas cafeteria for a meeting with police and other community leaders to talk about recent violence, following the murder of 17-year old Anthony Turner outside a party Sunday morning on Augustine Street.
It was a murder which police suspect is linked to gang activity.
People who live in this neighborhood say they're fed up. They say if things don't change, Maplewood neighbors, many whom have lived here for decades say they will start moving out.
They demand more police presence, more action from City Hall and more neighbor involvement.
“It's a shame to say it, but this neighborhood's going down hill slowly but surely,” said Danielle Riley.
“What happens is when the entire quality of life goes down, then everything stops. Everything decent stops, and we’re not doing anything to make sure that we maintain our quality of life,” said Jim Greco.
“And you wonder why the people are pissed off? I'm pissed! I got grandchildren! And right now I'm getting pretty damn hostile,” another man said.
“People truly care about this neighborhood and so when you talk about a tipping point I'm very optimistic that we're going to continue to see a reduction in crime," said Rochester Police Chief David Moore.
For Mary Lou Frank, who has spent four decades in Maplewood, that's something to build on because complaints only go so far.
“If people are going to complain they have to understand that they have to do something about it as well,” said Frank, block captain of Alameda Street. “They can't lock themselves into their homes, and they can't hope that someone else is going to do it for them, or else we will lose our neighborhood.”
Police and the neighborhood association are urging more people to join PAC-TAC, the community policing unit that works directly with Rochester Police.
Moore also wants something else from the community – tips and witnesses ready to come forward and solve the murder of Anthony Turner.
If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 423-9300, and you could receive a cash reward.
