Mason City, IA 8/9/11 - a man was shot after an argument outside a Casey's Gas Station. This video is footage of the crime scene 2 hrs. later, around 7 PM.
________________________________ MASON CITY, IA-It's the first murder the town of Mason City has seen in nearly three years. The last was in 2008 and it also happened in the north end of town.
Now folks living in the area are feeling a little uneasy about their safety after such a traumatic event that happened right in their own back yards.
According to the Mason City Police Department, the north side is not any worse than other areas of Mason City when it comes to the amount of crime, but it's no secret, that side of town has a reputation of pretty intense crimes.
It's been the location of robberies, murders, and stabbings and that's just in the past few years.
So you can see why those living right next door say they've had enough.
Dixie Mennen was shocked to hear that someone had been murdered just blocks from her home in the north side of Mason City.
"First thing I said is oh no, not again oh this is just too bad, I said, another north end shooting!" Mennen said.
She's lived in this area for the past 85 years and says crime has definitely gotten worse. Now, Mennen says she's a little scared of her own neighborhood.
Mennen said, "It puts fear into you that you say well, it's just another thing in Mason City in which we can't seem to get under control right now."
In the past two years...there was a hammer assault, liquor store robbery, gas station gun point robbery, and knife assault --- all along the same street.
The Mason City Police Department said there is a similarity between most of the cases.
Lt. Logan Wernet said, "The last most serious crimes that we've had in town, the suspects that we've had in those cases are not people who are originally from Mason City, they have moved here."
That's why Tuesday's crime has the police department putting more patrols out on to the streets to prevent retaliation and protect the community. But, it's not just the north side they are looking at.
Lt. Wernet said, "we have specific targeted areas throughout town that we are paying closer attention to they may be a problem areas. We want to make our presence known."
Law enforcement does not want to see these types of crimes either. In fact, they want to make sure their message is clear to those causing the problems and those that live in town.
Lt. Wernet said, "The police department as a whole is not going to tolerate that sort of behavior that threatens the other residents of this town."
As for those living amongst all the action, they say it's about time for a change.
"I'm just hoping for the best for mason city because we have things going right now with all the Park Inn and everything we don't want this type of reputation for Mason City," Mennen said.
But coming from someone who knows the potential of the north side, Mennen said this will always be her home.
She said, "I'm saying we will overcome this. And get the value of the north end back."
Mennen tells us things have been a little quieter on the north side in the past year, that's why she was so disappointed to hear about the murder.
She said a real concern of hers if these things continue, is the value of her property.
Lt. Wernet said they still have the saturated patrol out enforcing the area.
He said they will be out there as long as they see it necessary.
________________________________
To follow up on the story's please click on these links:
http://globegazette.com/news/n-federal-neighbors-fear-for-safety-after-shooti...
http://northiowatoday.com/top_story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1312926972&...
http://globegazette.com/news/shooting-witnesses-say-they-saw-suspect-running-...
http://globegazette.com/news/local/victim-suspect-identified-in-mason-city-sh...
http://globegazette.com/news/local/man-in-jail-on-murder-charge/article_686fb...
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