ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Recent shootings, gun arrests, and other violent crimes have many Albany residents worried about safety in their own neighborhoods. Now, community leaders are working to change that. NEWS10’s Amber Fisher spoke with residents who say they no longer feel safe in their neighborhoods, as well as with one local church that’s stepping up to help reduce gun violence.
Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox!
According to police, Saturday night, a 33-year-old man was shot at a McDonald’s parking lot on Central Avenue. Hours earlier, a 47-year-old was shot near Robin and Sherman streets. On Wednesday, a 17-year-old fired a flare gun into a man’s face on South Pearl Street – the same day an 18-year-old was shot on Benson Street. Police also recently arrested the suspect in the Washington Avenue homicide– a man whose own son was killed by gun violence last year.
“Every time I’ve taken my child just outside to play, I have had to leave the parks, calling the police or in fear for myself.” said one resident. She continued, “I can’t even just let my child walk to school in peace. And it’s sad to say, like, I don’t feel safe.”
1 injured after shooting in McDonald’s parking lot in Albany
Tekwan Lightfoot has lived in Albany for 11 years, but now, “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, so that’s going to be my next move. Just get out of Albany, Go someplace probably less violent,” Lightfoot continued, “There’s always shootings, stabbings, bodies being found. Just sucks. Can’t really walk the streets and be comfortable anymore. You have to always be looking over your shoulder.”
Lightfoot said that his son is who he worries about the most, “I’m a father of an 8-year-old kid, and I try not to have him outside by himself. I mean, he shouldn’t be outside by himself anyway, but I can’t really trust the community anymore. It just sucks.”
Download our WTEN+ streaming app on Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV!
Pastor Charlie Muller said that the community doesn’t have to accept that fear as the new normal. “This is nothing new. Summertime, we see gun violence go up,” He continued, “We can’t say we’re defeated because of all of a sudden, you know, an uprising in gun violence and uprising in violence. We got to be able to say, no, we can shut this down and we can pave a new path to see safety on our streets.”…