Saturday, July 12, 2014

Broad Ripple Residents Feel Safer With Closing Of Broad Ripple Avenue, Man Beaten And Robbed First Night

Last night was the first night IMPD began closing Broad Ripple Avenue between College and Guilford Avenues starting at midnight in an effort to crack down on violence following the shooting of seven persons last weekend in the presence of many police officers in the immediate area. The shooter is still on the loose. WISH-TV says the street closure makes residents feel safer. “I’m having a good time. I feel pretty safe, they seem like they beefed up security and it seems like they’ve responded to this recent violence. I feel comfortable,” said George Thomas.

Tell that to the man Fox 59 News reports was beaten and robbed one block north of the street closure last night. "He told police he was walking in the 6300 block of North College Avenue when four men walked past him. One man punched him in the head, knocking him to the ground.  The group demanded cash, then they told the man to get up and walk away." Meanwhile, the city recorded its 80th homicide of the year on the east side today.

UPDATE: The Indianapolis Star posted a story a few hours ago with the headline, "Broad Ripple calm amid increased police presence." It completely omits mention of the man beaten and mugged by a group of street thugs no more than a block from the large contingency of extra police. It's typical Gannett reporting. They have a meme they want to push whether the facts support it or not. Incredibly, the Broad Ripple Village Association has set up a GoFundMe page as if the business owners think we should contribute money to them to pay for extra security for their businesses. Have they no shame?

11 comments:

Marycatherine Barton said...

The Native American tribes did not have these cops and jails that we have. And we think we are more advanced than they. Hmm!

patriot paul said...

Thugs laying in wait on the darker side streets. Was closing the main drag from vehicular traffic really a solution?

Anonymous said...

Saw the video clip of last night of closed off BR Avenue. With all the police cars, officers, barricades and flashing police lights it looks like a damn riot zone!!
The quaintness of the Village left town a long time ago. Stick a fork in BR, it's done!

Anonymous said...

Black Expo has opened...wait until this weekend!

Atlanta had a Mayor who took a leadership stand on their version of a similar event.

Anonymous said...

Mob Violence: Indianapolis style Get ready for this weekend, Indianapolis! I'm sure they'll have plenty of riot squads....does that make anyone feel safe?

Flogger said...

Years ago my wife and our friends would go to Broad Ripple for a night out. We would go for dinner, maybe watch a comedy act. There were good non-chain restaurants. I believe there was even a small theater. We were 30 somethings back then. There was a mix of people. When the changes happened I do not recall.

At some point the crowds became rowdy like a frat-rat party. The complete snow job these days is somehow Broad Ripple is some cultural center.

So now the Police will have to commit their dwindling resources to Police this area.

Anonymous said...

"Last night was the first night IMPD began closing Broad Ripple Avenue between College and Guilford Avenues starting at midnight in an effort to crack down on violence"

How does IMPD get to close streets on its own say-so, absent Council votes, Mayor's signature, public hearings, commissions and studies proving benefits, State approval, and all of the other forms of public participation found in a Republic?

Are we now under martial law?

Anonymous said...

Notice IMPD unilaterally closed down a street during a week in which it was hiding behind a cop's death?

Like Rahm said, "Never let a crisis go to waste." Just like with 9/11, use a crisis as a pretext to implement whatever you want, because the public is too dumb to exercise simultaneously pity and condemnation.

Just as it was dumb to "support the troops" in the phony wars after 9/11, it's just as dumb to put a stupid blue light on your house. You're supporting your own destruction.

Anonymous said...

Gary,

What's the story with the e-mail the Dems sent this week? As I heard it, which may or may not be true, there's some connection between Beth White and political donations from those applying for issuing same-sex marriage licenses. Did you hear about that? What's going on?

Gary R. Welsh said...

I've not heard anything about it, anon. 6:42.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to Gabe Connell, owner of the HotBox pizza franchise, who hires his own off-duty copy to protect his patrons and employees in Broad Ripple. Why should there be a "fund" generated for this?