DENVER — Homeowners living in Denver’s Baker neighborhood say they’re concerned about rising crime and the safety of their families after a shooting early Saturday morning at the corner of W. Alameda Avenue and S. Bannock Street.
“I’ve called the police every single day for probably a month,” said Dawn McNulty, who’s been a resident of the historic neighborhood for more than two decades.
McNulty told us she’s noticed an uptick in everything from illicit drug use and distribution to violence in that area.
“It’s now infiltrating our community like it’s never infiltrated before," said McNulty.
Her neighbor, Brian McCririe, has noticed it too while running near where the overnight shooting happened.
There’s also a small encampment posted up at the same intersection.
“To say that you don’t feel safe is an understatement,” said McCririe.
Denver Police Crime Map data based on the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) shows aggravated assaults in the Baker neighborhood are on track to surpass last year’s numbers.
There were 59 aggravated assaults reported last year. With just over two months left in 2023, 52 have been reported this year. Reported drug and alcohol crimes in the Baker neighborhood have nearly tripled.
“You asked me earlier were you surprised by it? Not at all, not at all. I think it's an evolution of what we're seeing,” said McCririe.
