Neighborhood watch group raising money for SkyCop cameras in Whitehaven
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A neighborhood watch group is raising money for SkyCop cameras after a spike in crime in their Whitehaven community.
FOX13 found out there were several incidents, including a recent school bus shooting.
Neighbors told us they have had enough with the spikes in crime.
Members of the Watchful Eyes Neighborhood Watch Group are determined to stop car break-ins, home invasions and shootouts.
Back in August, FOX13 reported on a school-bus shooting near the neighborhood when a teenager was sent to the hospital after nearly being shot.
Bridget Bradley, who is the president of the organization, said one woman was caught in the middle of crossfire last month in a separate shooting when drivers in two cars started shooting at each other in the neighborhood.
“They were just shooting, like 14 shots, 14 or 15 shots and she was afraid for her life. She said she was driving and had to duck down in her car because of the bullets flying. I mean we don’t want that in our neighborhood,” Bradley said.
FOX13 found there were at least seven incidents, such as shootings and other crimes, within the past three months within a mile radius according to Cyber Watch.
“We are elders, finally owned a home, we’re asking our young people and others who are causing our problem to work with us,” said Roosevelt Boyd.
The city donated a $2,500 grant for SkyCops in the area. Bradley’s group has to match that number.
Their goal is to raise $6,400 on their own.
“Our first camera will go up right there on that pole right over there, and then you got another camera that’s going to go all the way down to Timothy – and we have a camera that zooms in on license plates,” Bradley said.
The group hopes to reach the rest of its goal Saturday. They’re hosting a “5 Block Neighborhood Flea Market” Saturday to raise the rest of the money.
“We’re not rich people so we have to work for this and we don’t mind putting our boots to the ground, making sure our neighborhood and our children and our connection are safe,” Bradley said.
So far, they raised nearly $4,000 on their own. That’s not including the grant from the city.
The flea market is this Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Timothy and PatteAnn in Whitehaven.