Overall crime is down in Dallas compared to this time last year. Still, a rash of recent shootings in Uptown has people concerned, and they want to know what’s being done about it.
Andres Contreras says living in Uptown Dallas hasn’t felt the same lately.
“Safety has been going down in the last year or so since the COVID precautions ended, since the bars started opening back up,” Contreras said.
He’s worried about recent violence. Just last Friday he and others heard a series of gunshots overnight near the corner of McKinney and Worthington Street.
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“I heard twenty pops at least. And being from the border, from Juarez, I’ve heard gunshots before,” Contreras said.
Last month in Uptown, an innocent bystander, who happened to be a bartender, was shot. A few months before that, two people were injured during a shooting in an Uptown parking lot.
“Being a resident of Uptown I’m a little worried that I may be out at night walking and I get shot,” he said.
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Numbers throughout the city show improvement. The numbers through September show overall crime is down 2.4% compared to last year. The total of all crime against persons is down 1.38%. But homicide is up 8.43% and aggravated assault that is not family violence is up 4.35%.
Dallas Councilman Paul Ridley addressed the recent violence in his district with a statement to NBC 5.
It reads, in part:
“Public safety in Uptown is a priority for my office. Our action plan involves addressing these incidents with a team effort. DPD is increasing patrols in areas of Uptown where shooting incidents have occurred to deter such acts and apprehend those responsible when they occur. Dallas Fire & Rescue has also stepped up inspections of late-night entertainment venues for overcrowding and fire code violations. In addition, Uptown Dallas Inc., the public improvement district in Uptown, has a public safety committee which works closely with DPD on crime issues.”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson acknowledged there’s work to do but says he’s optimistic with Chief Eddie Garcia leading the Dallas Police Department.
“The police chief has been really good since he got here about taking this very seriously,” said Mayor Johnson. “I have a lot of confidence in the chief’s plan and so far, we’ve seen the numbers trend in the right direction.”
Contreras hopes to see an increased police presence, particularly near his apartment.
“There’s definitely a growing concern at least among the friends that I have in uptown,” he said.
He said he simply wants to feel safe in the place he’s decided to call home.
