| Updated: 7/17/2012 9:15 am |
Published: 7/16/2012 9:19 pm
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The shock of Saturday’s shooting at a midtown Best Buy still sits deep in the hearts of Tulsans.
“It's awful, words really can't describe,” Shay Garcia told FOX23.
City councilors are also scratching their heads.
“It does bring to mind, ‘What is going on in Tulsa?’” G.T. Bynum, Tulsa City Councilor, said.
Even the Executive Director of the Crime Commission says the last six months have not been the best for the city.
“Perception is we have a very violent city. This spring has been especially harsh,” Carol Bush told FOX23.
Everyone wants to know why this most recent shooting happened, but that answer may not come until a suspect is arrested.
In the meantime, Tulsa's image has taken another hit as news of Saturday’s shooting spread across the nation.
“Why would you want to come visit here if all you hear is negative,” Garcia said.
Others say the city's image should be the last of our worries.
“I would worry more about getting shot when I am out shopping than I would about what someone in New York thinks about Tulsa,” Jane Payne told FOX23.
That's something Councilor Bynum echoed.
“Tulsa's public image with people around the country is the least of my concerns, right now my top concern is for Mr. Brown and his family,” Bynum said about the innocent victim in Saturday’s shooting.
Bynum says the city and its police force won't stop until the killer is in cuffs. Bush says the best way to repair our image may be to spread the truth.
“We need to counterbalance the violent with the good things that are happening in our community, of which we have a lot. Our homicide rate is one of the lowest its been in years at this point in the year. We need to remember that,” Bush said.
Tulsans were surprised to hear those numbers Monday.
“If crime's down, that's a good thing, and maybe it's bad luck that we're receiving national press on the murders that do happen,” Greg Augsburger said.
Councilor Bynum says he has put a special item on the agenda for Thursday’s City Council meeting. He'll ask Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan if there's anything more the city can do to help the department catch those committing these violent crimes.
