With winter finally over, people want to be outside to enjoy the weather.
Tamara Oates lives in the Lindenwood Court apartments near 48th and Boyd Streets, where four people who were out on the front porch were wounded during a drive by shooting in the middle of the afternoon. She and her six-year-old son just moved into their apartment a week ago, and already she said she's concerned about the violence.
"It's sad when your kids can't come out to play. I have a child, and so do other people around here. And I don't want anything happening to him or any of these other kids," said Oates.
Oates and her son had just left to the store moments before the shootings. Luckily, she says her son didn't see the actual shooting, but she did have to explain to him that 'police were on scene to protect them from bad guys who had been near the complex earlier.'
OPD has said statistically, shootings increase during the summer due to more outdoor activity.
Bryan Riley, owner of Fab Five Security, a company that does security in the area, including the Lindenwood Courts apartments says he will have his security officers more visible during the summer as violence will potentially increase.
"As bad as it sounds, it's almost normal. It's the norm. It's like, oh another shooting in North Omaha. It's sad, but that's the reality," said Riley.
Riley and Oates believe it's up to the community, with the help of OPD to help keep violence down during the next few months.
"I want to see more kids involved in more activities. That's one of the biggest things. These kids that you see, they're just hanging out," said Riley. "But there's so many things for them to be involved in. There's the Hope Center, PACE, the Boys and Girls Club - they should be proactive. I know police already does a lot and they do what they can, but really, we need to keep these kids busy."
