Other Side of Muskogee

[tentfire]

I really wasn't sure where to put this .... here or the Outhouse, so move it if it needs to be, please.

Yesterday was a climax of what had been brewing in Muskogee for the past few weeks. Many of you have already probably seen it, as it quickly made National News. Our town held its biggest annual event yesterday (Azalea Festival Chili Cook Off and Parade to kick off the festival). This town was packed with people from not only our town, but many states. During all of that, I was off in the next tiny town at the flea market, glad to not be in the congested crowd this year (and we had a great weekend out there .
But after the festivities ended, and the flea market had closed for the day, I came back through Muskogee and decided to stop in at the mall for a couple of items before I went home. Lucky me ...... I pulled up in front and parked just as gunfire opened up inside! Instantly, sirens were all around as emergency vehicles moved in. A mass of screaming people came running out of the entrance, a few spaces from where I had parked. I will NEVER forget that image .... I can't get it out of my head. One group of gang members were clustered at the front of the running crowd, repeatedly looking back over their shoulders as they ran (it was like it had been rehearsed, each taking their turn to look over their shoulder while they all ran, working together as one body). Then there was the mass of people behind them, screaming, pushing, running, looking only forward as they pushed through the doors and out into the parking lot. They were screaming, "Don't go in there! They've opened fire! It's a gang! Take cover in the Dollar Tree!" Well, that was where I was going, but my mind raced back and forth ... No way, the bullets will go through the walls! ..... to ..... but they might continue the shooting in the parking lot ... and back. No one could get in their cars and leave, emergency vehicles were coming from every direction, into every entrance and you couldn't get in their way. And there were yells to get into the Dollar Tree for cover (people in the area I was in-it is still a blur as to who was ushering is in there) and don't leave for awhile in case they needed anyone as a witness. I went into the Dollar Tree, where I stayed for about half an hour.
As I was going in, a very red-faced teenage girl was running out of the Mall entrance (next door to the dollar tree, which has an exterior door), ran down the sidewalk, then stopped, bent over, and was gagging/throwing up/gasping for air/totally fear stricken.
Back outside again, I saw two women clutching small babies, run-walking out to their cars. I hadn't thought of babies being in there and it horrified me. In shock I asked one if they had been in there with their babies. She said (in great panic) that their daughters were inside with the babies and they had come to pick them up and get them to safety (the babies' mothers had to stay as witnesses) then they quickly disappeared into their cars and were gone. I will always remember those two women sheltering those babies closely against them, under their chins, as they moved quickly and kept looking around, watching for more gunfire. They knew .... and it was at that moment, as I saw what looked like more possible gang activity moving in, that I realized how high the risk was of the shooting opening back up in the parking lot.
So what did I do? I went back to my car, got in, started to leave, then remembered I had a camera on my cell phone. . . . . So I got back out and started taking pictures. And emergency vehicles were STILL pouring in.

Here is just one of many articles about it:
www.muskogeephoenix.com/local/local_story_101004457.html
Make sure to read the comments ....... they are very accurate as to what Muskogee is like now. And the one about the incident at Walmart two weeks ago? . . . . . oddly enough, I was there then, too. The gang activity inside and outside of Walmart that day spooked me so badly I got what I needed as quickly as I could and left. Haven't been back since, but probably will have to eventually.

I have several more links I wanted to post on this, but I am exhausted, so I am going to call it a night and post the rest on our gangs/gang activity tomorrow if anyone would like to know more. The gang activity here is rampant, and even police officers are scared of them, which just makes our gangs a very big growing problem. About 12 to 15 years ago, my oldest son somehow ticked off a member of one of our Mexican gangs. (we lived in town then) They caught up with him one morning at the bus stop and beat him badly. It was awhile before the swelling and bruising in his face/head went down enough you could really tell it was him. I still get physically sick when I think of my baby flat down on the gravel parking lot with a gang beating and kicking on him - getaway driver in wait to escape when they felt they were done, and his friends (also waiting on the bus) just standing there to fearful to help.
Okay, I'm really stopping this time, for tonight, or I'm not going to be able to sleep. But THIS is really Muskogee.

Attachments:

[buzzard]

That's horrific tentfire. I know it happens out here in California too, and those hispanic gangs are really vicious. I don't go shopping in Fresno, down in the valley, alone anymore. I only go when my son can go with me. And when we're out and about, we both watch constantly for "weird" activity. If a group is around that looks like a gang, we leave. Glad you weren't hurt!

[gonecatfishing]

It is not just there the gangs are everywhere.. Shame of it all is that most people think that it isn't their problem and let them get by with their BS..Want to look the other way, not see anything, not get involved, I'll just stay out of it and they will not bother me , The list can go on and on....Glad that you are safe Tentfire!

[rick brumback]

Thats awful,people cant even go shopping anymore without something bad happening.Kids today have no respect for their parents,the law or themselves.Well not all kids are like that I know.But the bad ones just dont care.Get shot up,go to jail and brag about how bad and cool they are when they are just dummies.

[tentfire]

Yep, that's about the way it goes.

On the surface, it appears to have calmed down a little now (but we know that is just when they are planning more moves). The police department is doing extra training on how to handle gangs. I'm not for sure, but last I saw, I think they were trying to form a gang task force, or something like that, too. So sad when our tax dollars has to go for crud like that.

It really killed our main mall. They are doing all kinds of incentives to try and get people to come back in, but most people are shopping everywhere else as much as possible. I was there recently, one Thursday afternoon (school was still out). It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop! Literally. I was having coffee with a friend, and I think there were only about 5 people total occupying the food court, and I suspect a couple of those were on lunch break. Those pesky people that always come up to you with their clipboards, wanting you to help them with their 'survey' were all standing around chatting ... bored to death. Only occasionally did a person pass by. Many units in the mall are now empty and for rent. So sad for so many.