Albany Isn’t The Wild West, It Just Seems Like It

I live in Albany. You know, the city that literally seems to have gun violence daily, sometimes two or three times a day. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was the Wild Wild West with all the shootouts. 

It's weird.  I don't feel unsafe in the city I live in, I truly don't.  But if I didn't live here - and I was on the outside looking in - I'd be like,  "f**k that, I'm not living there!"

I live off of Lark Street and I'm at the point now where if a police car goes flying down my street, sirens blaring, I'll look over at my girlfriend Samantha and say something like, "another shooting."   More often than not (I hate to say) I'm right as I'll usually go on Twitter and read that another person was shot in Albany in broad daylight.

News Channel 13 recently did a story on Albany shootings and I couldn't believe the pure volume.  Since June 1st, I think the unofficial count was near 30 and that's with a full week to go in the month.  What was even more troubling was that most of the shooting resulted in zero arrests being made.

On Wednesday, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan issued a statement about the gun violence that's become so prevalent in Albany over the last month or so saying that she's "outraged" and that residents "deserve better."

She went on to talk about the desire to keep the Albany streets safer with more police presence saying, "Given the recent increase in violence, residents can expect to see an enhanced law enforcement presence in our city for the foreseeable future – including both members of the New York State Police and the Albany County Sheriff’s Department."

I'm a full advocate for the Albany Police force, the NYS Police and the Sheriff's Dept.  I know that we have many good cops who are doing the best they can, but something about the sheer volume of attacks is concerning. Why can't we seem to slow it down?

Is it gang related, drug related or both?  Why are there so many shootings and so little arrests?

Sue, the nightly fireworks can be a real pain in ass and the morons riding dirtbikes through the city streets can be a little troubling, but like I said before, I don't feel unsafe living in Albany.  Even with all the gunshots.

Maybe I've just gotten used to living in the Wild Wild West.