Crime wave leaves residents in parts of Laveen fed up
PHOENIX - Residents and business owners in a part of Laveen say they are fed up with the amount of crime recently, and they want something to be done.
The frustrations reached a boiling point of sorts following a deadly stabbing near 51st Avenue and Baseline Road that prompted road closures in the area for hours on Oct. 26.
The victim was later identified as 30-year-old Frank Sunn. Police have not released information regarding a suspect.
"I know all the officers in the area quite well, because they’re constantly having to respond out here," said Ariane Bunting, who is the manager of a business in the area.
Bunting says it’s almost an everyday occurrence to see the flashing red and blue lights of police cars.
"They’re just continuously getting worse," said Bunting. "The homeless population has gotten ten times worse, especially over the last few months."
According to Phoenix Police, officers have made more than 123 arrests in the area, from May 17 to Oct. 24. 28 of those people accepted services from homeless solutions. Overall, more than 418 people were contacted, with 190 arrests being made, from December 2022 to now. Many of them were repeat offenders.
"It seems to have gotten worse around here," said one person. "There will be more than 20 people standing in the parking lot doing drugs openly."
"The other day, I counted four ambulances taking four different overdose victims away," said Bunting. "I've literally had to remove people, and they’ve caused issues with my customers. It’s bad. I have to watch my shop at all times."
Bunting said she recognizes that the Phoenix Police Department is understaffed, but is hoping the city can take more drastic actions to help move the homeless along, especially those doing drugs right outside her windows.
"The police can only do so much, but I would like the city, the leaders, to actually look at these areas that are now super high in crime, come out here, and do something, because it is killing our businesses. It’s destroying our beautiful neighborhoods. They’ve set fire to the back of my building over the winter, and it’s just enough is enough. Something has to be done."