Midtown Residents Concerned Over Growing Violent Crime Rate

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Crime concerns are growing in midtown Sacramento as more people in the neighborhood are complaining they don't feel safe.

Homeowners, renters and businesses all say things have gotten more dangerous in midtown recently, and they're worried.

The intersection of P Street and 20th Street doesn't seem like a big hub for nightlife. In fact, many families live around area, but neighbors say that doesn't exclude them from the violent crime that has been happening in midtown.

Even though William Burg lives streets away, he says he's no stranger to the type violence that was caught on video of a fight outside a midtown bar.

"There were about 20 shell casings found. So, at least 20 shots fired, and the person who provoked the fight was injured," said Burg.

Burg says he became concerned ever since a shootout happened near P and 20th Streets last weekend.

"Sometimes it doesn't feel safe, especially near midnight," said neighbor Angel Garcia. "I wouldn't recommend people be walking alone."

People who live here say the neighborhood is becoming more popular on weekends, and they say they need more security.

"You see police at the bars, but you don't see them too much around dark areas," said Garcia. "I think we need to feel a little more secure."

Neighbors hope they can ban together with area businesses to help police cover more ground.

"We are doing more with less. When that happens, we ask the community to help us," said Officer Michelle Gigante.

They also hope it'll prevent future murders from going unsolved, like the local swing dancer who was killed by a stray bullet in August. Police still don't have any suspects.

"It's just a mystery. It falls down a hole and no one ever gets back to it," said Burg.

But neighbors aren't blaming the bars. In fact, they say that's one of the reasons midtown is a great place to live. They just want to feel more secure in a place they call home.

"Our concern is you're going to start a slide back into what the central city used to be, which was an ignored neighborhood where nobody lived and there wasn't any control," said Burg.

Sacramento police tell CBS13 that while they are dealing with budget cuts, there have been no cutbacks to their street teams that patrol the city on weekends.