Called the live music capital of North Texas and home to many local artists as well as the go-to nightlife scene in Dallas, Deep Ellum is a neighborhood full of life and culture that hosts multiple events throughout the year.
However, the neighborhood is experiencing a deadly crime wave along with the rest of the city, with one of the most recent crimes, the shooting death of a 20-year-old man who was found lying motionless on the street near Malcolm X Boulevard and Commerce Street.
The shooting occurred just after 1:15 a.m., in the 2800 block of Clover Street.
Dallas police officers were flagged down at the intersection and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds.
He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It marks the fourth murder in the neighborhood this year.
The Dallas Police Department has been working with the neighborhood association to increase safety all year and has developed a plan to improve safety.
The Dallas Police Department will establish a dedicated unit working out of Deep Ellum this fall. Deep Ellum is also located in the Central Patrol Division for Dallas police, comprised of multiple neighborhoods.
“I think an added police presence could be a good thing if it helps the neighborhood,” said Tom, owner of DopeStreetShoes, in an interview with The Dallas Express.
Deep Ellum is home to multiple businesses and shops and hosts quite a few street vendors when the neighborhood hosts events.
Crime is virtually non-existent during the day, with police presence more visible and the neighborhood bustling with tourists eager to check out the cultural scene, shop, and grab a few drinks at local eateries and bars.
On the other hand, the Deep Ellum nightlife is vastly different, with bars staying open until 2 a.m., patrons becoming inebriated often, and arguments can ensue, sometimes even leading to deadly outcomes.
“It gets a little crazy sometimes,” said Dustin Phillips, an employee of Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop.
“I could tell there’s a lot more police here, in the area at least,” said Phillips.
Not all businesses have been optimistic about the plan for a new unit dedicated to Deep Ellum.
“There’s enough police presence in the neighborhood,” said Charlie, manager of Hawkers Asian Street Food.
With an increase in crime in Dallas this year and the fourth murder in the Deep Ellum neighborhood, some local businesses seem split on the effectiveness of a new police unit dedicated to Deep Ellum.
“Deep Ellum residents and business owners are justifiably concerned about their safety these days,” wrote Stephen Moitz in an op-ed piece published by The Dallas Express. “Crime is spiking. … It’s increasingly bleak as the community many have known and loved for years is undergoing a radical and scary transformation.”
Not one mention about the fact that the area became dangerous once it became a hotspot hangout for black people.
No one asked you, you racist hag.
Racist? Not at all. Just saying that the violence increased when it became more of a late night hangout for blacks. Would you dispute that?
Go to Beale Street in Memphis. Very black, very diverse, same type of night life but it’s SAFE. There’s about 3 cops per block and everyone behaves themself.
Everyone who wants a safer city should factor in all reasons for a significant uptick in violence. People are being killed! It wasn’t like that when it was a bohemian headshop dive bar punk rock neighborhood. People I know don’t like to go down their anymore because of how different it is now.. hmm wonder why.
So what is your solution? Stop Black people from coming to the area?The article says the area seems to be safe during daylight hours when there is more police present. Implies the drinking and lack of Police presence contributes to the increase in crime. Perhaps your conclusions are an attempt to find a scapegoat. Maybe YOU are the problem.
Okay, my bad, here’s what I should have said: It’s been worse since it became an area where on Friday Saturday night it’s like a giant mob of people… that correlates to when it started getting more dangerous. Like Miami on spring break used to be college kids doing (perhaps bad) college youth type things, but now it’s a hip hop crowd and it’s way more crazy. At least from the footage I’ve seen. People are more brazen with cars and street racing stuff, and packing weapons.. it’s crazy.
Yes, max occupancy is something for restaurants and bars, so maybe certain zones should have that in effect. It ain’t perfect because that hurts business, but if it’s a public safety hazard, something has to change.
I stand corrected, kind of. It’s more about how crowded and how much of a mob it gets to be. I think that’s a big part of the danger level.
Never go down there after dark but used to walk through all the time in day