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brigidAround 9:00pm last night, while it was raining heavily, I heard what sounded like people in the foyer of our two flat, talking in (unaccented) English. That was a bit alarming as the other family who lives in our building speaks Spanish. The kids speak English, but they don't sound like adult men; the adults in the family, and their friends, either speak very heavily accented or no English. I am not used to hearing people speaking English in my building unless it's my immediate family.
Extra alarming was the fact that they were talking about a stabbing.
"Why'd you go and stab me?"
"I didn't stab you."
"Yeah you did."
I crept to the door and tried to peer through the peephole but couldn't see anyone. I don't know if they were actually in the apartment or just on the sidewalk immediately outside the door. I heard their voices drift away and didn't call 911 because... I've called 911 before and not gotten a response. I've also lived someplace else where a dude regularly made phone calls at 3:00am right outside our bedroom window, where he'd scream threats of stabby murder into the phone for half an hour, 45 minutes, or so. At least, I think he had a phone.
Around 9:30 I heard more (male, speaking unaccented English) voices outside, including someone shining a very bright narrow beam flashlight around. Someone asked "is this the place?" and someone else said "I don't know, I can't see an address." Someone said "there's blood everywhere." I heard the crackle of a radio and a car drove the wrong way down the street (I could see the headlights), something that pretty much only cops do. So these were cops. Probably. Except there's a history of people trying to gain entry to buildings in this neighborhood by pretending to be cops, the FBI, or city workers. Nobody tried to come in. After they left I scampered downstairs, found the front door was unlocked (!!!), peeked outside and saw reddish brown liquid all over the sidewalk, and nearly gave myself a heart attack trying to close and lock the door before OMG DISASTER!!!!!!!
I called our precinct to inform them of the stabbing and ask if there had been actual cops on my property or not. I was told that no cops had been out there (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but then after I gave the cross street (instead of just the address) the guy I was talking to said "Oh, wait, no. They're bringing the perp in now."
I called Nesko at work a little after 10:00. A few minutes after that, someone started POUNDING ON THE DOOR LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO BEAT IT DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wa ha hey! I know that that's the absolute best way to get me to open the door, after someone's been stabbed on my doorstep! right? Sound like you're trying to break the fucking door down you can bust your way in and stab more people! I almost died. I also went down to check shit out.
Our front door is a lovely old thing that features a giant pane of glass in the middle. You cannot sneak up on that door. You cannot monitor who is down there without being seen. I have never felt so exposed by that door. The dudes standing outside were wearing cop clothes, though, so I let them in and gave a statement. It was still raining heavily.
I knew what time the guys had been arguing outside because I mentioned it in a chat with someone and it was time stamped. Nerd.
The cops checked out the stairs, asked some questions, left. Nesko got home. I went to bed. He said the cops came back "after I went to bed" (so around midnight) and took photos. So 3 hours after the incident, in the rain. I don't know what help they'll be.
I'm still shaken.
I know our neighborhood isn't crime free. There's gang activity, the occasional mugging, that sort of thing. I live in a big city, and I live near disputed gang territories. The first murder of the new year happened in my neighborhood. But I've never felt unsafe before, not really, and I used to regularly walk home from work at 1:00 am. I've never been afraid to live here before. I feel violated.
Extra alarming was the fact that they were talking about a stabbing.
"Why'd you go and stab me?"
"I didn't stab you."
"Yeah you did."
I crept to the door and tried to peer through the peephole but couldn't see anyone. I don't know if they were actually in the apartment or just on the sidewalk immediately outside the door. I heard their voices drift away and didn't call 911 because... I've called 911 before and not gotten a response. I've also lived someplace else where a dude regularly made phone calls at 3:00am right outside our bedroom window, where he'd scream threats of stabby murder into the phone for half an hour, 45 minutes, or so. At least, I think he had a phone.
Around 9:30 I heard more (male, speaking unaccented English) voices outside, including someone shining a very bright narrow beam flashlight around. Someone asked "is this the place?" and someone else said "I don't know, I can't see an address." Someone said "there's blood everywhere." I heard the crackle of a radio and a car drove the wrong way down the street (I could see the headlights), something that pretty much only cops do. So these were cops. Probably. Except there's a history of people trying to gain entry to buildings in this neighborhood by pretending to be cops, the FBI, or city workers. Nobody tried to come in. After they left I scampered downstairs, found the front door was unlocked (!!!), peeked outside and saw reddish brown liquid all over the sidewalk, and nearly gave myself a heart attack trying to close and lock the door before OMG DISASTER!!!!!!!
I called our precinct to inform them of the stabbing and ask if there had been actual cops on my property or not. I was told that no cops had been out there (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but then after I gave the cross street (instead of just the address) the guy I was talking to said "Oh, wait, no. They're bringing the perp in now."
I called Nesko at work a little after 10:00. A few minutes after that, someone started POUNDING ON THE DOOR LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO BEAT IT DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wa ha hey! I know that that's the absolute best way to get me to open the door, after someone's been stabbed on my doorstep! right? Sound like you're trying to break the fucking door down you can bust your way in and stab more people! I almost died. I also went down to check shit out.
Our front door is a lovely old thing that features a giant pane of glass in the middle. You cannot sneak up on that door. You cannot monitor who is down there without being seen. I have never felt so exposed by that door. The dudes standing outside were wearing cop clothes, though, so I let them in and gave a statement. It was still raining heavily.
I knew what time the guys had been arguing outside because I mentioned it in a chat with someone and it was time stamped. Nerd.
The cops checked out the stairs, asked some questions, left. Nesko got home. I went to bed. He said the cops came back "after I went to bed" (so around midnight) and took photos. So 3 hours after the incident, in the rain. I don't know what help they'll be.
I'm still shaken.
I know our neighborhood isn't crime free. There's gang activity, the occasional mugging, that sort of thing. I live in a big city, and I live near disputed gang territories. The first murder of the new year happened in my neighborhood. But I've never felt unsafe before, not really, and I used to regularly walk home from work at 1:00 am. I've never been afraid to live here before. I feel violated.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:20 am (UTC)Are you doing okay now?
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:26 am (UTC)Does Niko have a clue anything is wrong?
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:48 am (UTC)Though at least if the stabbee was able to (1) argue and (2) walk away, things will probably work out all right. But...ACK!
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:50 am (UTC)One of my fears is that they were trying to obtain entry to my home and it was an accidental stabbing. although, frankly, I'm glad someone other than me was stabbed and I'd rather someone else was stabbed than I got burgled.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 02:10 am (UTC)(Sorry, I'm probably never going to get past the whole "we got off the train and walked into a RIOT" thing.)
But yeah. Motion sensor lights in the entryway?
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 02:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 02:16 am (UTC)Yeah, I have a steel door with a deadbolt and I like it a lot. It bolts on to the outside of the doorframe.
And good grief. His grandbaby and his grandbaby's mom were in the house while someone was BLEEDING ALL OVER THE SIDEWALK RIGHT OUTSIDE. Put on a deadbolt, dude!
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 02:19 am (UTC)I love the look of the front door (even though it's damaged) but I've been side eye-ing it for a while and now I really want to just replace it. We'll see what happens. We might just install deadbolts on the interior entry doors (us and the upstairs folks).
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 02:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 03:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 11:00 am (UTC)I know what you mean about doors. I really like my little fisheye thing.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 12:02 pm (UTC)*sends good thoughts* for what it's worth
no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-11 02:26 pm (UTC)It's hard to feel safe and confident again.
In fact I left two cities because it was clearly never going to be safe for me, at least, again. I sincerely hope this isn't the case for you.
Love, C.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-12 05:06 am (UTC)