JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Do you feel safe walking around downtown?
That’s the question News4JAX asked people in the wake of recent back-to-back deadly gun violence.
“I will not come down here at night,” said Carla Felton who works downtown.
“I don’t necessarily feel unsafe,” Loren Banks, who also works downtown, said.
News4JAX asked the question in the wake of back-to-back fatal shootings downtown and an attempted carjacking.
When it comes to violent crime or crime involving a deadly weapon, there has been a lot going on downtown within the past five months. But whether people feel safe depends on certain variables like specific location and time of day.
RELATED: 2 killed in Downtown overnight shooting
Within the first six days of this month, three people have been shot to death in the street and two people were the victims of a violent attempted carjacking at the Berkman Condominium. People who work a 9-to-5 job downtown and take walks on their lunch break say they feel safe during the day.
“It is a little worrisome. I take a walk at lunch every day and I walk through downtown every day, and I don’t necessarily feel unsafe,” Banks said.
“I’ve never worried for my safety down here as a woman walking alone o her lunch break.” [ERIK] “Is that because you are out here during the day?” If there is more crime at night, that’s probably why because I’m not down here at night,” said Codi Gilberg who works downtown.
“I will not come down here at night. I only come here in the daytime. I get here at 7 AM and work until 3:30 and that’s the last time you will see me down here,” Felton said.
According to a JSO crime map that was adjusted to show violent crimes and crimes involving a weapon within a one-mile radius of Church and Liberty Street, between the first of the year and this past Tuesday, there were 161 reported cases. This includes 146 assaults, many of which involved a weapon. There was also three homicides and 12 robberies of which 10 were described as armed robberies. And according to a JSO day-of-week crime summary, most of the robberies happened on weekends, while the assaults happened on any day of the week.
A man who asked to remain anonymous lives in one of the high-rise apartment buildings downtown. He said he heard the recent gunshots that killed two people near the intersection of Forsyth and Julia Street. He also says he’s personally seen violent crimes involving knives.
MORE: Witnesses suspect drug deal led to shooting of man in downtown Jacksonville | St. Johns County 19-year-old, 2 others accused in connection with downtown Jacksonville murder
“I’ve been living downtown for more than five years, and I’ve witnessed a few violent incidents. I technically feel safe on my half because I veer away from those areas where I feel there is a high probability of crime. For instance, in some of the night areas where people hang out, I tend to go the other way,” he said.
Three people were arrested in connection to one of the recent fatal shootings. But no arrests have been made in the other fatal shooting that happened days later.