flyboy_fox: (scared)
[personal profile] flyboy_fox
This happened a couple days ago, literally about two minutes from where I live:


(taken from icsouthlondon.co.uk)

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Shots fired outside pub

Apr 7 2006

SHOPPERS were left in shock after a gunman fired shots at a car outside a North Cheam pub.
A woman was seen cowering in the vehicle as the man opened fire in broad daylight while passers-by watched.
Witnesses say several shots were fired at the vehicle which was in the car park of the Queen Vic in Church Hill Road last Saturday lunchtime.
The woman escaped uninjured and police are linking the shooting to another at a house in Stirling Avenue, Wallington around an hour earlier at 12.15pm.
Two shots were fired at the home but again no one was injured.

People living and working near the pub said the shooting was the talk of the town.
Michael Jones, 17, who works in the Alldays store next to the pub, said customers had been taken aback by the shooting.
He said: "I was at work when it happened. A woman who had come into the shop told me what had happened and she seemed quite shaken up.
"She told me someone had shot at a car with a shotgun. It is quite worrying that it happened in broad daylight, but it's not really that safe around here."
Gareth Birch, 23, who works in the Dick Vernon television shop across the road from the car park, said shoppers went to see if they could help.
He added: "There was an off-duty policeman in here at the time and he heard a bang and went outside.
"It's a bit random, isn't it. I thought it was generally safe here. You don't expect people to be pulling guns in Cheam."

But Ben Rayner, who works at The Dry Cleaning Company nearby, was not quite so surprised at the violence.
He said: "I was in the shop and heard about it from a customer, but it was only an hour later when I was on my way home that I saw the police turn up.
"Perhaps it's an indication that people round here are so blasé about crime that no one even bothered to call them.
"You would have thought it would be different if there was someone with a shotgun blowing holes in a vehicle.
"Sadly the pub round there seems to be a magnet for bad lads, so it is consistent with the reputation of the area, but it is the first time I have heard of anything like this happening in the daytime." l A 24-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the two shootings.

James Thorpe was due to appear at Reigate Magistrates' Court yesterday (Thursday) on seven charges including possession of a prohibited weapon and recklessness with intent to endanger life.

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Basically, North Cheam has been getting worse. This shooting happened so close to where I live that it really does scare me :\ We've had a lot of knife-crime around here, but gun crime wasn't really too much of a problem. It's illegal to own a gun here, other than in exceptional circumstances. But... eh. Now people are shooting at cars o.o Whoo. In broad daylight. Thank goodness noone got hurt :\ It really wasn't that long ago since that kid my brother knew got stabbed to death outside a pub even closer to my home. I remember seeing the ambulances coming down the road to get to him.

Those of you who live in ghetto (more ghetto than N.Cheam) areas probably think I'm a wuss :P But yeah... North Cheam is really not a great place to live right now. Anyone wanna take me in? ^^;

Date: 2006-04-11 08:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shaboba330.livejournal.com
Oh my god, that's terrible o.o the town where my dad lives is kind of like that, but nowhere close to the extent to which you described.

If you ever feel like running away, you can always take refuge in my brother's old room in our basement... I'm sure we could accomodate you :P

Date: 2006-04-11 08:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] flyboy-fox.livejournal.com
Hehe, thanks for the offer, Matt ^^ Basement bedroom, sounds fun!

Date: 2006-04-11 11:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shaboba330.livejournal.com
Yeah lol just so long as you can ignore the random ceiling-high stacks of old baseball cards ^^;;

Date: 2006-04-11 08:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moth-wingthane.livejournal.com
Geeez. That's not nice :(

My mum grew up in and around Cheam and it was always such a nice place.

Date: 2006-04-11 08:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] flyboy-fox.livejournal.com
Yeah, Cheam Village used to be really nice... picturesque, quiet, almost rural. That's why my family moved here from Wimbledon ten years ago. But since then it's REALLY gone downhill. Gangs, vandelism, street crime... it's sad :\

Date: 2006-04-11 08:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sullmaster.livejournal.com
Holy God Jai, thank God that everyone is ok over there. We've had a few fights here on campus but no shootings (not lately anyway). Be careful...

Oh, and you can come over here anytime if you want to stay for a while. I don't think my family would mind :P

Date: 2006-04-11 08:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] flyboy-fox.livejournal.com
I'll be careful. I don't go out much anyway, but this kinda thing makes me want to _never_ go out ^^; I'd love to move away from this area, but I kinda need a way to support myself financially first. Here's hoping I get a job soon ^_^

Date: 2006-04-12 10:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] twitchytwitch.livejournal.com
Sure, come over here, there's only knives. <3 Though you can get kidnapped and passing car-drivers will wolf-whistle and try to 'pick you up' regardless of your gender or sexuality. Fun!

Date: 2006-04-12 12:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jonlupus.livejournal.com
My frien lives in Detroit, now thats a crappeh ghetto town, I happen to fortunate to live in an upscale neighborhood, tho the people here are snobby, not dangerous

Date: 2006-04-12 01:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] leonskennedy827.livejournal.com
Ooooo o.O I can't blame you for not wanting to go out at all, sure hope everything gets better there sooner rather than later though :/

Date: 2006-04-12 10:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosebuster.livejournal.com
That's terrible. Living in London is so dangerous sometimes. When I start thinking about it, I sometimes feel really happy I live where I live. I'll pray nothing bad happens to you, bro. *huggles* This is so scary.

BTW: I commented to some of your older entries - check your entries starting from those on 8th Apr. And watch the Walker Texas Ranger clips I gave you links to in one of them! :P

Date: 2006-04-12 11:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] flyboy-fox.livejournal.com
Thanks for replying to so many of my posts, RoSe ^^ That was awesome of you. I'll download the Texas Ranger clips first thing tomorrow morning :)

Date: 2006-04-13 10:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosebuster.livejournal.com
Yay! Hey, if you want to make my day, reply to mine as well. ^_^
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