Jan 5, 2009 11:10 pm US/Eastern
Hollywood Residents Want Increased Police Presence
If you have any information, call Crimestoppers at (954) 493-TIPS
HOLLYWOOD (CBS4) ―
A South Florida neighborhood is on high alert; many Hollywood residents say they're scared to let their kids play outside because of a recent wave of crime.
A woman and her mother were walking home along South 17 Avenue near Washington Street in Hollywood when they say an armed robber attacked them Sunday night. The man mugged the woman, stole her purse and hit her in the head with a gun. She suffered a concussion. This was just the latest violent incident to happen in the area.
Police say the armed thief then turned the gun on a neighbor who happened to come outside, possibly after hearing the screams of the victim's mother. The neighbor took a bullet in the shoulder and remains in the hospital where he is expected to recover.
The female victim -- Bibiana Gomez -- believes the neighbor saved her life.
"I wouldn't be here telling the story probably," Gomez said.
Gomez said she had very little money in her purse -- just $3 -- and a cell phone.
"His intention was to kill a life for 3 dollars," said Gomez. "Was that worth it?"
Hollywood police say the armed thief also robbed another woman Sunday night but there were no details available on that crime.
Neighbor Neil Donnelly rushed to the scene after hearing the gunfire. He said his neighbor who got shot is a longtime resident.
"He's the finest kind of neighbor and person you'd want to meet," Donnelly said. "It's very unfortunate he got harmed."
Neighbors in the South Lake neighborhood say they've seen a recent increase in crime like car burglaries and home break-ins. They also point to the recent unsolved murder of Paul "Wolf" St. James just a few blocks from Sunday's incident.
"He was in his alleyway taking out his garbage and he got hit over the head and he wound up dying," said Neil Donnelly, a resident of South Lake for 30 years.
Residents want to see more police patrolling the area.
"We do have a concern," Donnelly explained. "We are close to to the highway on this side of the South Lake district and there really needs to be a greater presence of police in this area, so we're really hoping for that."
Bibiana Gomez is hoping police find her attacker.
"We do have a concern. We are close to the highway on this side of the Southlake district and there really needs to be a greater presence of police in this area, so we're really hoping for that," Donnelly said.
Hollywood Police are searching for the mugger. If you have any information, call Crimestoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.
For more information on the crime statistics for the neighborhood, check out
Carey Codd's blog.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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