Antioch’s incoming mayor met with residents of a neighborhood that has seen near constant gun violence, which has made residents feel like prisoners in their own homes.
Much of the violence is centered in the area of the Sycamore Square Shopping Center, where Mayor-elect Ron Bernal made a visit Tuesday.
“What are you going to do differently, that the other mayor, you know, couldn’t get it together and do in our community?” asked Nina, an Antioch resident.
“Well, the first thing we need to do is get a permanent chief,” answered Bernal. “And a good one that understands community policing, is going to establish relationships and build trust with this community.”
Bernal came to the shopping center to talk with CBS News Bay Area on Tuesday. Just as soon as he was out of his car, it was clear people wanted to talk to him.
“The violence,” Nina said. “I’m about to move in January.”
“Well, we need to get the HOA back involved, because they’ve taken off and we don’t have stuff for the kids to do,” Bernal told her.
The parking lot, and the adjoining Sycamore neighborhood,
has seen four shootings in the past seven days
, many more
in recent months
.
It has become the epicenter of violence in Antioch, and Bernal said as the police department staffs up with some 40 incoming officers, this area needs to be a focal point, around the clock.
“Every morning when we wake up, we need to ask ourselves. How is Sycamore Square?” Bernal said. “How is the Sycamore neighborhood doing?”
“We need an unsung hero right now,” said Jalonnee Stewat of Fresh Image Boutique. “We need a hero up in here.”
Stewat says the family business is suffering.
“Yeah I’ve got bullet holes right here,” he said pointing to multiple points of impact. “I’ve got a bullet hole up there. I just got this window and this window fixed. I’ve got a bullet hole right here with the security sign covering it up. We’re not scared out here, man, it’s getting crazy to where no one wants to come down here to shop.”
But he says he’s determined to stay, and while he supports a greater focus by police, he’s among those with another request.
“First and foremost, we need stuff for kids to do,” Stewat said. “We need jobs.”
“We need jobs,” a neighbor, Leonard added. “If you get better jobs, I’m telling you, things will slow down.”
“The main thing, Nina, is we need to make it a priority,” Bernal said of the neighborhood. “This neighborhood has to be a priority. It can’t just be that we are in this community when there’s gun violence and take off and forget it for months at a time.”
At each storefront, business owners were eager to talk. And Bernal says the feedback is a good sign that people are anxious for some change, or better yet, ready to get involved.
“It’s about building community, at the end of the day, Bernal said. “That’s really what it is and that’s what I want to do here.”
A big part of the mayor-elect’s message here is patience, that things won’t change overnight. He’s also talking about bringing the City Council into this area to talk with residents about problems and possible solutions.
Bernal will be inaugurated as the mayor of Antioch on Dec. 10.
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