You know what creeps me out also?

[amaristella]

Last night I drove by police tape around part of my apartment complex on the way to get dinner. I was thinking to myself, oh, I'll just look up what happened in the local FB group when I get home. Then I forgot.

Then just now in the Google local news feed something caught my eye.

One man chased another man into an (apparently unlocked) unit in my complex and stabbed him to death. The victim has not been identified nor has the motive. The suspect was caught.

Guys I picked my apartment because I was thinking this was a place where the likeliest crime would be petty theft by a bored teenager.

I can't tell this to my husband. He might think we're not safe. I'm not even sure I should tell my parents because then I'm really going to have my mom checking up on my all the time.

But secretly I'm a little creeped out. Like, not leaving the door unlocked when I take the trash out creeped out.

Edit: It also happened during daylight hours.

[G22]

Yikes that would creep me out too! I'm sorry you've got that worry about now too.

[meltoine]

I would definitely be creeped out. Stay safe!

[audette]

Yikes! That would make me nervous, too.

[amaristella]

I'm feeling a little better now. I guess I just needed to sleep on it and also to distract. Several hours with Star Trek TNG and knitting needles.

I think what bothered me most is that a big part of my personal safety plan revolves around staying away from dangerous situations. So it's harder when I feel like the situation comes over to me. It's also hard because I have studied self defense only minimally and what work I have done never involved toting a toddler around. I would have almost no idea how to deal with that. Maybe it's something to look into.

[NomadicMama]

I'm sorry that the recent events have rattled you. My take on things is that since this happened in your complex, the chances of another random incident occurring has got to be slim. The odds are firmly in your favor.

But, take whatever relevant measures you need to. When my DH was delayed when DS was a baby, I swore that I heard someone rattle my door. From that day forward, I turned on nearly every light on the first floor before going upstairs to bed. I felt like having my house aglow made me less of a target.

[amaristella]

Aug 6, 2015 19:05:19 GMT -5 NomadicMama said:

I'm sorry that the recent events have rattled you. My take on things is that since this happened in your complex, the chances of another random incident occurring has got to be slim. The odds are firmly in your favor.

But, take whatever relevant measures you need to. When my DH was delayed when DS was a baby, I swore that I heard someone rattle my door. From that day forward, I turned on nearly every light on the first floor before going upstairs to bed. I felt like having my house aglow made me less of a target.

I first I thought it must be pretty random. But then I was reading comments about the sudden appearance of homeless camps in the area. Well, if that's the case then this neighborhood is now just exactly the same as all the rest of this major metropolitan area. It's not really something that we can get around. A friend of mine from the East coast visited and commented on the seemingly high number of homeless people but I explained to her that it's really a good place for them because they don't have to worry about the extreme weather conditions (cold especially) that other areas of the country have. Shelters are not always all that they're cracked up to be so I can understand why not everyone belongs in a shelter.

That might explain where the two men came from despite seeming that they had no business in the area. Why the one ran away on foot towards a particular street (ordinarily people only arrive here by personal vehicle due to a near lack of public transit) and why the one who was killed has still not been identified.

PS I feel totally the opposite about lights. From the outside a lit house at night is like a Christmas tree! People on the outside can watch your window like a TV screen to know what's going on but from the inside your vision is adjusted so that you cannot see well outside. Could just be my inner paranoia but when I want to know what's up I turn all the lights off.

[NomadicMama]

Could you talk to your complex management about safety measures that they could employ? While homelessness seems to be a given where you live, a new camp nearby might warrant taking a look to safeguard residents. To a degree, I understand your situation. I had certain things I wanted when we looked at apartments when we lived in Barstow, CA. DH was in the field 50% of the time.

As for all the lights…I would put down the Venetian blinds so it was harder to see in. Plus, one of the neighbor hardly slept and had appointed himself as Mr. Neighborhood Watch for our cul de sac. I knew Al was watching. I provided better lighting for him. (This guy meant business, too. One time, he engaged a guy soliciting door to door, despite that being against HOA rules. He got into it with the solicitor, and called the cops. One squad car arrived and a short time later, a second car showed up. Meanwhile, Al was yelling at the guy.) I was not very sad the leave behind that neighbor!

[amaristella]

I totally need a neighbor like that!