Gunshots on Sterling last night

sje · August 2006

I was woken up by men arguing loudly on the street around 11:25 last night, and a few minutes later, heard 8 loud gunshots, a bunch of yelling and screaming, then nothing. It was on Sterling between Franklin and Bedford, closer to Bedford, anyone know what the hell happened? I don't think anyone was hit, because no ambulance came. Made me very, very nervous, because sometimes I walk the dogs around then. sigh. :shock:

armchair_warrior · August 2006

dang sounds crazy. did the po po come at all?

anonymous · August 2006

i saw police tape all over the place on sterling between franklin and classon around midnight saturday night/sunday morning. perhaps related?

masha99 · August 2006

We heard it too, of course, no way not to. We live between Franklin and Bedford; we thought it was coming from between Franklin and Classon, and I was surprised not to hear ambulances, and someone in my house suggested maybe it was firecrackers? Is that just a vain hope?

sweet tea · August 2006

i live on prospect between franklin and classon, and i heard it too. and i really, really don't think it was firecrackers.

sje · August 2006

There were even more last night! {Saturday night}, much earlier, around 8 or 9. THey were definitely coming from Franklin or below. Damn it. I looked out the window and saw pedestrians running towards Bedford. Must be some sort of "war" going on. I swear the longtimers here just try to get out of the way while the shootings happening and then ignore everything afterwards. I really don't want to get used to this.

Friday night the police were here pretty quickly.

anonymous · August 2006

I live on Sterling btwn. Bedford and Franklin. I was reading by the window on late Friday night and heard a succession of very loud pops. It sounded like gunfire, but I looked out the window and no one was out there. I chalked it up to overreacting.

Does anyone have any more information? I've never encountered anything like this before I've lived here for over a year. Just wondering what the term "war" meant -- if this kind of thing has happened in the past. I know the neighborhood gets really rowdy when parade time rolls around.

sje · August 2006

Margie, we're on the same block. I spoke to a cop stationed on Sterling between Franklin and Classon sunday evening, he confirmed that both Saturday and Friday nights there were gunshots, apparently just below Franklin.

By "war" I mean between the obvious drug dealers with their walkie-talkie phones beeping all over the place on the street, who knows? It was a guess.

I've been here for three months, and it's been pretty quiet up until now. The cop also said it's because of the West Indian Day Parade festivities, people start going nuts a week or so in advance, Prepare yourself if you've not lived through this before, it's quite rowdy. I go every year and take pictures, the parade itself is awesome.

anonymous · August 2006

Hi! Nice to meet you. I have been to the parade before -- it is amazing. I'll be out of town this year, but I'll keep my eye out for anything suspicious coming home.

I hope this is the last time we hear gunshots in the neighborhood. I have noticed that every few months, they flood the neighborhood with police, but that hasn't happened since springtime. They might need to do it again...

bklynbonnie · August 2006

Subject: also on the block and concerned

I also live on the same block and am quite concerned about this. Is there something we can do as a block to help address our concern and get a larger police presence?

armchair_warrior · August 2006

sad thing is someone should give these guys shooting lessons. you hear and read on the news all the time. they always shoot everyone besides the person they were aiming for. it seems the safest place to be is hide behind the intended vitcim in a drive by or osmethne.

terekete · August 2006

we live on the corner of the parkway and franklin; definitely heard the shots as well. this crap comes and goes in waves... been a particularly violent few days, it sounds like. though the blocks south of the parkway between franklin and bedford continue to be really rough-- the errant gunshot that shattered a window of ours a few years ago is pretty good evidence of that.

masha99 · August 2006

and that's where we live now ... newcomers.

when there is an upsurge in trouble, do the cops come out more? is there a phone number of the local precinct that we can call?

sje · August 2006

Been quiet since the rain, thankfully.

whyfi · August 2006

Yet another reason to look forward to fall...

homeowner · August 2006

Subject: Re: also on the block and concerned

bklynbonnie wrote: I also live on the same block and am quite concerned about this. Is there something we can do as a block to help address our concern and get a larger police presence?

Go to the block association meetings. If there isn't an active one, ask your neighbors about whether there was one in the past. If not, start one up. The one thing I can say about the cops at the 77th is that they do show up at the block association meetings to talk about what they are doing to address issues.

Also, I think that the cops do a bit of lurking here, along with some folks from the community board and others who have a fair amount of pull. Following up on posting by actually calling the precinct, the community board and others makes a world of difference. You go from being a complainer to a constituent pretty quickly.

anonymous · August 2006

Subject: Re: also on the block and concerned

homeowner wrote: [quote=bklynbonnie]I also live on the same block and am quite concerned about this. Is there something we can do as a block to help address our concern and get a larger police presence?

Go to the block association meetings. If there isn't an active one, ask your neighbors about whether there was one in the past. If not, start one up. The one thing I can say about the cops at the 77th is that they do show up at the block association meetings to talk about what they are doing to address issues.

Also, I think that the cops do a bit of lurking here, along with some folks from the community board and others who have a fair amount of pull. Following up on posting by actually calling the precinct, the community board and others makes a world of difference. You go from being a complainer to a constituent pretty quickly.

If enough people call the pricinct about your block you will see some results. Call Det. Raton 718-735-0634. He is great at respond to community concerns. I also suggest that you go to the precinct council meetings. You have representatives from all of the other agencies such as the DA's office, City Council, State Assembly etc. I would invite these people to the block association meeting as well.

anonymous · September 2006

Subject: calling the precinct?

I'm on the south side of EP, which is the 71st precinct. I've lived here about 6 months now. I've seen a lot of bad behavior on Union Street - one block in from Eastern Pwy. I've called the cops or 311 about fistfights, pit bull dog fights (seemed to be arranged in advance), and incredibly loud screaming and music on the street late at night.

311 is for noise complaints. "Chronic" noise problems get priority. I don't think complaining about noise has any effect at all javascript:emoticon(':cry:')

When I called the precinct about the men fighting in the street, the cop who finally answered said I should always call 911, even for non-emergencies, because the precinct phone is not answered anymore.

Makes me wonder if the 71st precinct is short of people javascript:emoticon(':shock:')

About a month ago, the apartment buildings on Union all installed high-powered floodlights that are extremely bright. I guess this was to discourage loitering. Unfortunately, the lights seem to ATTRACT even MORE people!

LT

sje · September 2006

I almost took a place on that side of EP in CH, LTinCH. What are your cross streets? I'd heard it was pretty bad, and passed up a huge place. I would not be able to stomach dog fights, oh no.

Gunshots on Sterling last night

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