COLUMBUS (WCMH) — The Wedgewood community decided to march in unity against violence and an anonymous post asking that the apartment complex be shutdown.
Several people marched and more came out of their apartments to join in an attempt to spark change in this community.
“We don’t need people who do not live here to talk about the community here,” said Zerqa Abid of My Project USA.
She and others are speaking out against the petition on change.org.
It states, “The Wedgewood Village apartment complex on the west side of Columbus is nothing but a breeding ground for crime and violence.”
What this petition may be referring to are the high number of shootings and homicides that happened in 2017. In August of that year the complex had averaged nearly a murder each month.
Two murders happened on July 19. Police say four armed suspect held two men hostage in their Wedgewood apartment for hours before they were shot and killed.
It was the second double homicide in this complex in a four-month span.
“I want to spread my love to anyone who is afraid,” said Samari Mohamud a Wedgewood resident.
18-year-old Mohamud feels this petition goes too far.
She believes this community needs to be fixed, but not shutdown.
“Just bear with us,” said Mohamud. “We’re going to make changes, and if you want to be a part of this change be a part of this change, but please no negativity.”
Police, community members and even one politician came together in unity against hate and violence in their community.
Their hope is to give the people who live here a safe place to live their lives.
“I just take care of my family, myself, and go to work and come home safe,” said Ahmed Hassan another Wedgewood resident.: “You know American way, American Dream.”
There is no plan to shut down this apartment complex, but this community has already began working on some solutions to make the neighborhood safer. Community leaders believe if they pull together this community will begin to transform.
