Students React to Crime in Hyattsville

The alarming incident that occurred around 8 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 25 in the 6400 block of America Blvd-- when a man shot three people—might have been the last straw for 24-year-old Catholic University student James Wilkerson Jr.

According to Lt. Christopher Purvis of the Hyattsville City Police Department, police responded to a report of shots fired at the restaurant row at University Town Center. When they arrived, they found three people shot. The suspect managed to get away and the three injured were taken to an area hospital.

Wilkerson, a resident at the University Town Center Apartments (UTC), which is located directly in front of the crime scene, was in his apartment, when the incident occurred.

“I didn’t even hear the gunshots or get notified about it until the next day,” he said. For Wilkerson, if living so close to a crime scene wasn’t enough, not knowing about it immediately made him more fearful of the area.

“Living inside the building is great; it’s what’s around it that I have to think about.”

Wilkerson, who has been living in UTC for one year, does not know if the luxury of the apartments will be enough for him to return next year.

“Sometimes the area is a turn-off,” said University of Maryland student Jasmine Little.

Little, who also lives in UTC, found that living in the Hyattsville area can sometimes be off-putting. With grocery stores, a mall, the metro, restaurants, and a movie theatre within walking distance, the local issue of crime has her slightly over-looking the apartment’s great attractions.

According to Neighborhoodscout, the Hyattsville area has an annual average rate of 471 crimes per square mile, with the national median average being 39.3 crimes per square miles.

“Wow it’s that high?” said 23-year-old Daeshawn Bates, a resident of the Lewisdale neighborhood. Bates has lived in the area her entire life. Like many Hyattsville residents, she was unaware of just how many crimes occurred around her yearly. “I’m scared to say that I’ve grown blind to it, or maybe even used to it,” Bates added.

That may be the case for some residents, but students in the area have definitely taken notice.

“I’m always down at Carolina Kitchen getting something to eat,” said 21-year-old Omari Bonaparte. “Knowing that there was a shooting and the suspect got away definitely gives me reason to stay away for a while.”

Other crimes in the area have also left students in Hyattsville a little uneasy. Alicia Haynes, a student at Howard University, has a bedroom window that faces the middle of UTC.

“There have been fights right outside of my window in the middle of the day,” Haynes said.

There are 100 violent crimes per year in Hyattsville according to Neighborhoodscout. This does not include the hundreds of violent interactions that are not reported.

“Sometimes when I’m taking a nap, the screams will be so loud that I have no choice but to wake up and look outside my window,” said Haynes.

Officers of the Prince Georges County Police department patrol most commercial areas in the Hyattsville area. Edmar Mendoza, a former officer used to be one of them.

“I worked most weekend nights [Friday and Saturday],” he said.

For a popular area like Hyattsville, weekend nights are prone to draw large crowds.

“I’ve broken up fights, been called for peace disturbances, stealing, assaults, robberies all of the above, mostly situations involving 15-27-year-olds.”

According to Areavibes Hyattsville has a population of about 17,557 and approximately 13 schools (private and public). The city’s residents total about 4,700 and are between the ages of 15 and 29.

Because most of the crimes in the city involve teens and occur in the commercial area, college students living in and around Hyattsville have been forced to become more cautious of their surroundings.