Shootings Shatter Security

Santa Monica, which had only one homicide in all of 1997, has seen an outbreak of violence in recent weeks as four persons were slain in a series of gang retaliatory shootings and a German tourist was killed near an exclusive beachfront hotel. A gang truce was signed this week, which has city leaders optimistic that the violence will end. But the city, best known for its beaches, restaurants and affluent neighborhoods, has been shaken by crime on the streets. ROSALYN MORGAN spoke with a number of students at Santa Monica High School to see how they felt about their own safety and the city’s image.

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JANA CAREY

17, senior

I don’t really think that many people are making that big a deal out of the shootings. It’s annoying because it gets in the way of certain things, like our homecoming was canceled; it keeps us from going off campus and we had a curfew for Halloween.

It’s unfortunate that it affects these things and, obviously, it’s more serious for people more closely involved, like the families of the people shot.

I do think a curfew is a good idea, in the sense that the police want to be able to better control things. I’ve also noticed a greater police presence around, but I don’t know how effective it has been.

Hearing the news of the shootings doesn’t make me feel less safe at school at all. I think the school administration is definitely being cautious, leaning on the safe side. Maybe what they are doing is a little too drastic, but better safe than sorry.

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RUDY HERNANDEZ

17, senior

I feel really scared right now and I don’t feel like going out or doing anything fun.

I fear for my own safety and worry that the next person being shot could be me or one of my friends or someone from my school, especially as one of the shootings was only two blocks away from school. I feel like the police are not doing everything they can because they haven’t caught anyone.

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DEBBIE MIZEL

16, junior

It’s really upsetting to know that they’re keeping us in school because they’re afraid we’re going to get shot. It’s weird to think that something could happen to any one of us who goes to Santa Monica High School.

I’ve lived in Santa Monica all my life and I’ve never ever felt in danger before. Now, where I live, I can hear sirens and helicopters, which isn’t a comforting feeling.

I really think the police could be doing a better job, though. They hang around school giving kids smoking tickets when they should be looking for more serious problems. I hope this ends soon. Santa Monica is such a good little town, it’s weird to think of these shootings actually happening here.

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ETHAN HUTT

15, sophomore

It’s kind of scary but I don’t feel there’s any imminent danger.

Everyone’s a little hesitant to be wandering around and standing on street corners. It’s not that it’s so shocking that it’s happening, because violence happens all the time.

It’s more that Santa Monica’s usually safe and we haven’t had gang violence. I think whatever can be done has been done, and I feel pretty safe on campus. I know the school has been working with the police. I think that we’re in good hands.

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DAYNA CRAWFORD

17, senior

I think the whole situation’s really sad. We’re getting locked in our schools because it’s not safe to go out into Santa Monica, which used to be a safe community. All the people I know who go to school in other areas all look at Santa Monica as a safe little suburban area.

Now they can’t do that anymore. Keeping us in school at lunch is a pretty good way of trying to keep us safe, but I don’t think they really have the space to keep all the kids on campus.

Everyone is wary of going out by themselves or going to different places because of the possibility of being an innocent bystander to gang violence. I think the police are doing all they can, but they can’t really do anything because they’re not able to go out and arrest all the gang members.