Shooting In The Hood

By Joy Lynn Clark

 09/14/2016

So far, Chicago has beat out LA and NYC to have the most homicides in the US so far.  With 500 homicides and nearly 3000 shooting victims ( for the past few years consistenly ).  Chicago, IL is probably still the murder capital of the US.

Guess who else is shooting?  Crime dramas, police shows, legal investigation programs, fire shows  all realistic, yet fiction.  Right here in the inner city, in the murder capital, on private property.  I am just a renter so, I get no notice.

There were shootings on my block three weeks in a row.  The first time it was broad daylight, somewhere near the park, where my child was in summer camp.  I was just stepping outside when I heard the shots and then a crash.  I looked around, nothing, no sirens, no screams, nothing.  I hopped in the car with my mentor and headed out.

“*Film Notice*  We will be filming said show at said private location for the day”.  It is just a regular photocopy notice that is taped on the door of the private property.

I noticed that the neighbor on the corner by the park had one.  My child came home and said that there was a shooting outside of the park.

My son was at a birthday party with a friend and I had just received a call that they were on their way to bring him home.   Minutes later,  another shooting on the other corner of my block.   I was home alone and scared to death.  I had turned off all of my electronics due to Roy G. BIV.  I got on the floor and wondered how long it would take for someone else to call.  Then I heard people go outside.  Then I thought of my son and freaked.

This time it was a real shooting, my street was blocked off and the victim was covered with a blanket.  I had to tell my child’s friends mother how to access my street without running into the blockade of police and emergency personell.

The very next weekend another shooting.  It was so loud.  I thought I was going to lose it.  No sirens,  I guess they were filming.

Joy Clark is a writer, producer, vocalist, and publisher. Lexington, KY

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