Community leaders in Berkeley met Saturday to discuss the growing acts of violence plaguing a busy city intersection.
The increasing number of disturbing incidences surrounding the cross section between Delaware Street and San Pablo Avenue gave rise to a city council meeting, where prominent Berkeley officials discussed ways to increase safety, and pointed a few fingers.
Some attendees discussed the connection between two stores – Bing’s Liquor Store and Popeye’s Chicken – and the uptick in violent crimes. Council members said that the two stores seem to be “magnets” for illegal behavior.
“We can’t have people passing out on the street,” said Linda Maio of the City Council. “We can’t have people shooting one another. We can’t have women going home from work being harassed….That’s just got to stop.”
The city wants to add surveillance cameras and possibly hire a security guard at the corner to curb the crime.
There have been a slew of violent offences in the area. Earlier this month, a gunman shot a man outside a liquor store at the corner of Delaware Street and San Pablo Avenue. That was the third shooting at that intersection in the past few years.
