INSIDE INGLEWOOD-Three reported murders for the City of Inglewood in the first six weeks of 2014 have taken place within a two-mile radius of convicted felon State Senator Roderick D. Wright’s alleged Inglewood residence at 868 Glenway Drive. According to the Web sites CrimeMapping.com and the LA Times’ Homicide Report, there have been no fewer than six homicides in Inglewood during the same period. All six reported homicides were shooting deaths.
The latest shooting death occurred Tuesday evening on the corner of West Beach Avenue and Venice Way in Inglewood’s District 2. It took place on a busy thoroughfare at a Metro bus stop.
Wright was convicted of eight felony counts of perjury and voter fraud regarding his residency in Inglewood. The primary point was that he did not live in Inglewood despite his duty to represent the area. At one point during the trial, Wright was overheard by a South LA newspaper publisher telling a LA County Sheriff’s Deputy serving as a bailiff that his “senate salary is just enough to pay [his] taxes” for the multiple properties he owns throughout South Los Angeles.
Residents contend that there have been more murders than are being reported by police. At least one alleged homicide on the 500 block S. Flower near the newly re-opened Forum just days after the Eagles’ six-day run has apparently been reported as an assault, and the murder rate has residents fearful.
“There have been seven murders in the city,” said one resident during a recent church event in Inglewood. Although speaking to a crowd, the resident asked to not be identified owing to the fear of violent retribution that could occur for speaking out against a police chief and mayor who have failed to keep residents safe from murder and assaults in the city.
Since January 1, there have been more than 80 assaults.
Inglewood homeowners have voiced concerns why a millionaire would pretend to live in an area where no millionaire would reside. “Why are there so many drive-by shootings just blocks away from Rod’s house? If even one drive-by happened in Los Feliz or Santa Monica, people would riot!” said a resident at the same church event where the seven January shooting homicides were discussed.
Not one of the 23 homicides in Inglewood between January 1, 2013 and February 18, 2014 have been solved.
(Randall Fleming is a veteran journalist and magazine publisher. He has worked at and for the New York Post, the Brooklyn Spectator and the Los Feliz Ledger. He is currently editor-in-chief at the Morningside Park Chronicle, a monthly newspaper based in Inglewood, CA and on-line at www.MorningsideParkChronicle.com) Photo credit: Teka-Lark Fleming.
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 12 Issue 15
Pub: Feb 21, 2014