When I started this blog back in 2009 I was hopeful that Santa Ana was at last heading in the right direction. Now, in 2017, things seem darker than ever. There are daily shootings and stabbings – and if you did not notice these are now happening in broad daylight. The gangbangers have become utterly fearless – and drive by shootings have once again become the norm in our city.
We can point fingers all day long but that won’t change anything. The fact is many good people in our city are now wondering if Santa Ana has sunk too low. Women are being run over and killed in our city for crying out loud! It is just too horrible to even begin to comprehend.
How did we end up in such a fix?
I don’t know that you can pinpoint one determining factor. Perhaps what is happening is just the ultimate outcome of so many years of kids dropping out of school and opting for a life of gangbanging and drugs. Has Santa Ana gotten to the point where it is time to start thinking of getting the Hell out of here?
There really aren’t any more safe zones in our city. This is nothing new by the way. Do you recall what happened back on May 30, 2013? 33-year-old Andrew Reisse, a co-founder and computer graphics engineer for the gaming company Oculus Rift, was standing on the sidewalk near the intersection of Flower Street and Macarthur Blvd. when Victor Manuel Sanchez, a 24-year old gangbanger, collided with the rear end of a flatbed truck that was travelling legally eastbound through the intersection and crashed into Reisse. The victim died at the scene. Sanchez was fleeing from the police of course.
Do you still remember what happened to 23-year-old Kim Pham back on Jan. 18 of 2014 when two allegedly reformed cholas stomped her to death in DTSA?
How about Jeffery Lee Chung, 23, of Irvine, who was shot and killed by a robber, in a parking structure nearby a bar called Proof back Oct. 2, 2010?
Those murders were all foreshadowing of what was beginning to happen in our city. What is in fact happening now.
Most of the people in our city are good people who are just trying to survive but there are enough gangbangers and deranged hobos now to endanger most of us.
Back in the day folks would just blame our mostly white City Councils and School Boards. But now our local elected officials are mostly our fellow Latinos. And things are worse than ever in Santa Ana.
I still hope for the best. But every time I venture out into this city I am vigilant. Every time I hear a helicopter overhead I wonder who is dead now. Every time my adult kids go to DTSA I worry about them. Simply put we are not safe in Santa Ana. And I don’t know at this point if we ever will be safe here again.
Perhaps I am more attuned to the sinking conditions in Santa Ana because I write about all the awful things that happen in our city. I remember when Lou Correa’s wife was attacked at the Santa Ana River. I remember when the home of a retired Judge in Floral Park was invaded by a robber. Everywhere I drive in this city I remember countless shootings and stabbings. And I am reminded daily that we are not safe.
As a Libertarian I don’t expect much from the government. I certainly don’t expect any level of the government to be functional. The one thing I hope for is public safety. And that is just not happening in Santa Ana.
So what can we do to turn things around here? I am open to your suggestions. If we are to pull this city out of its tailspin it will take all of us and a lot of ingenuity to make that happen.
If you want to write to our City Council you can email them at this link. Believe me when I tell you that our elected officials are worried too! They are not safe in this town either…
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First thing is to admit the problem is everyone will video a incident but not get involved. If you see little pepe with a gun turn him in but instead you say I'm no snitch. Then he shoots a freind or family member, or almost gets you shoot by rival gang members. Everybody complains about the police but the can't do it alone . Be proactive get involved in mentoring youth programs like teen challenge, sports teach them there are other ways to spend their time instead of drugs and gangs
It's up to you bury your head in the sand or go out and make a difference. The question you have to ask your self is do you want your kids to meet a young person who has it together or a gangster who can destroy their life
Maybe Santa Ana needs a sanctuary news editor? Sanctuary City Council, Sanctuary eateries, Sanctuary lunch trucks, sanctuary bars, sanctuary cholos... please chime in!
Most of the gang problem is no based on society its the damn parents that have this remedial thinking of it's OK to leave kids with grandparents so the parents can go out clubbing, and back home grandma and grandpa are with kids that don't want to listen I say punish the parents most parents today are zoned in to social media because they care more about their Facebook, Snapchat, or WhatsApp, or even caring more about celebrates its a shame what is becoming of my people it's like they hate crime but yet they root for the bad guy
My suggestion is, hyperbolic type statements and posts needs to stop from both sides. Then only then can we open dialogue between each other to work together.
There are many strong view points and we forget that most of us have the same common goal. Let us work as a people to create a culture of working together to solve problems and not focus on moving agendas.
Truly as a community we are unstoppable in making change, but we need to work together in order for that to happen. A lot of people as an example are opposed to l the state of being a sanctuary city. I think there are good good arguments either way, but what is important is that we talk about what is best for the city and what is right. Instead what I see is a shouting match where instead of sharing opinions, we only agitate the situation further.
Thoughts?
I agree. The left and the right are screaming at each other but 90% of us are in the middle. And we are all in danger now.
You sound like a "community organizer."
"But now our local elected officials are mostly our fellow Latinos. And things are worse than ever in Santa Ana." -Editor
Are they? Crime stats (violent crime rate) seem to say otherwise. Yes, these gang shootings are scary but to say the City is a disaster is too lie. Heck, we are still safer than back in 2006 which also had an increase in homicides.
Man, you go all out with your fear mongering.
Perhaps you missed the FBI's last report -http://newsantaana.com/2017/01/16/a-new-fbi-report-has-verified-a-major-rise-in-violent-crime-in-santa-ana-last-year/.
We need more police. The Santa Ana Police Department has approximately 95 approved openings. We need to find out why they are not filling these positions.
They need to bring back summer youth program jobs..
Hey NIMBY, cry baby hear that sound its the door shutting behind you as you flee Santa Ana. Instead of moaning about your so called little pepes why don't you start an advocacy group to help the victims.
We should focus on preventing crimes so there will be less victims!
I agree that we need more police, and I agree that people don't say anything. You're never going to please everyone, that's a huge given. But we can all work together. Bringing back summer youth programs would be nice, but our parks dept is under staffed as well. I wish we could get rid of our "Sanctuary City" title, because it's a joke! I know a few people who are in law enforcement in and out of Santa Ana, and their common beef is this, "People never see anything, but they want the crime solved in 45 min like on tv" If we have 95 positions available in the police department, our goal should be to hire 200 new officers in the next 3-5 years. Is it going to happen, probably not, but we should make it a goal. 50 new officers a year is not a bad goal. That will help with our back fill, and start filling our future vacant positions because I'm sure more officers will be retiring soon. Secondly, let's add more civilian personnel to police, code enforcement and parks departments. Let's start cleaning these streets. I'm tired of seeing mattresses, chairs, TV's, tires, cones ect out there. Let's stop adding more low income housing and let's make home buying affordable again so we don't have 5 families in a single home any more. And lastly, let's NOT eliminate our ICE contract. That's income coming our way, but I do remember reading somewhere that our jail is taking a loss each year, let's make it a point to break even, if not turn a small profit. I know, I make it sound so simple huh? But some of these goals, I feel are simple. Starting with hiring 4-5 officers a month!
Most bullshit racist article i have ever read Lmao. Oh yeah, DOJ, FBI, and state law enforcement agencies all report the majority of crime in the U. S. is committed by European Americans.
Nice try, racist asshole. I dont plan on building a wall around European Americans, Never!