Wednesday Safety Watch: 06/21/2015 - 06/24/2015

The neighborhood of Signal Hill South West as defined by Next Door contains a small part of Long Beach. That said, within the area the two cities are separated by a wall. And south of Hill street, the neighborhood, which is also south of that dividing line, the two neighborhoods are very different.

Today, I am including the Wednesday safety watch to include that neighborhood because of a homicide that happened last night. A teenager was found shot to death in an alleyway that runs parallel to 21st street and connects Orange and Lemon.

What this map shows is the two homicides closest to us are connected by the Orange/ Altimos Corridor. They also show a lot of unusual activity including property crimes and robberies tend to mark the areas where this is most likely.

Two other interesting characteristics of the neighborhood can be seen. Notice how almost nothing happens around MLK Park. With one exception, the tagging, robberies and car thefts have almost always been north or south of it.

Separating Signal Hill from Long Beach there is somewhat of a chasm of overgrown brush, trees, fences and walls that divide the two cities. While there was almost no tagging I found within the neighborhood, but once you get to that chasm north of the bike path and on the border of Signal Hill, it's all over the pace.

The black diamond is a clear fire code violation where there are four trailers on the same residence. It stands out because former students have told me there are houses in this neighborhood that are used to house un-houseable gang members. This black diamond is right next to the facilities at MLK Park that would make up for not having restrooms or showers.

The gang tagging is limited to streets like Salt Lake and Orange just north of the alley where the shooting took place. The reported property crime is in about the same place. The picture to the left shows the chasm that divides Long Beach and Signal Hill. It also clearly shows that gangs have used the that wall to mark their territory.

This chasm is also just north of a bike path, that curves into a blind spot along Orange. You can see that bike path and the blind spot that curves toward the alleyway where the shooting took place in the picture below. In other words, be extra careful when taking that bike path east.

On the other side of this pic, the path is clear to MLK Blvd.

Notice the attention to detail this alley gets just north of the neighborhood where the shooting took place. The picture to the right is in Signal Hill. First of all, there is no parking in the alleyway. Residents who have Neighborhood Watches have made it clear the alleyway is still a part of the neighborhood. Additionally, the business along the corner has set up cameras so anyone entering the alleyway is on film. 

Any one of these would have lessened the likelihood of the shooting on Orange and 21st taking place.

Now for our neighborhood: In MacArthur Park it has been relatively quiet. Most all of the gang tagging from last week has been taken down. The main exception is the Carneceria at 1732 15th that only takes tagging down when it is pushed to do so. You will notice a string of thefts, both car and personal along PCH. They really don't trend in either direction though which is why the arrow goes both ways. Because there was property crime just north of that on Chittick field keep a close eye around PCH and Walnut to PCH and Rose.

Also always keep an eye on the black square in the center of the map, as that's where the tagging, loitering and fireworks usually begins.

Shooting List/ And Stories Related

• 06/24/2015: 1:13. 21st and Orange. Alicia Faith Todd. 21: Updated
• 06/22/2015: 9:45am: Cedar and 8th: Douglas Wilson, 37.
• 06/05/2015: 10pm: 17th and Altimos: Anthony Holston. 20.

I am adding these links. Each has the numbers and websites you can send tips to. Also, regarding the shooting last night, it was reported the residents heard the shots at midnight but nobody called until 1am, when someone came home from work. If you hear gun shots, call 911 ASAP. You may well save somebody's life by helping get medical attention to the location a little quicker. I have tried to find pictures and updates of earlier stories, but in most cases, they are just not available.