Dear Secretary Castro:
I am writing to you today on an urgent matter. Early this morning at the Eureka Gardens
apartment complex located in my congressional district in Jacksonville,
Florida, three gunmen fired more than 50 rounds of
ammunition into a group of residents. It
is being reported that seven people were hit; and two of those shot were in
critical condition, while five others were listed in stable condition.
According to local news reports, "Sgt. Shawn Coarsey of the Jacksonville
Sheriff's Office said a group of eight to 10 people were sitting outside one of
the apartment buildings when three men approached and opened fire with a rifle
and a pistol" (Channel 4 News, Jacksonville, Florida).
As the
federally elected representative of Florida’s 5th congressional
district, I am requesting that the Department of Housing and Urban Development
immediately provide increased security at the housing facility at Eureka
Gardens and at the facility of Washington Heights, also located in
Jacksonville. I am strongly urging that
24 hour surveillance be provided at both HUD facilities, as well as round the
clock police security. Currently, I understand that there are patrols that
oversee these facilities, yet what is clearly needed is 24 hour security police
for the complexes, as it has been clearly demonstrated today that the current
roaming patrols are insufficient. Both
of these security provisions are essential and need to be included in the
contract(s) when these properties are transferred to their new owners in the
near future.
In addition,
the complexes are in desperate need of secure gates, as well as a dramatic
upgrade of their current surveillance cameras, which would permit the cameras
to access all angles of the buildings. I
would also like to request a briefing on this matter as soon as I return to
Washington following the August congressional recess. Beyond a doubt, we want
to do everything possible to ensure the safety of our residents.
Sincerely,
U.S. Rep Corrine Brown
Florida's 5th Congressional District
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