South Street Businesses 'Hurting' As Crime In Area Has Been Growing Problem Since October, Owners Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Community members are still trying to grasp the chaotic scene that unfolded on South Street late Saturday night. A makeshift memorial is growing at the scene of the mass shooting.
Residents say crime has been a growing problem across Queen Village and they're demanding action from the city.
Watch: Video Appears To Show Altercation That Led To South Street Mass Shooting
It was a peaceful Monday afternoon as residents and tourists walked along South Street, a far cry from a deadly mass shooting that occurred on Saturday night.
Ivy Cheng lives in the area. She's the manager at Jade Fashion Boutique, a few yards from where the shooting happened.
"I don't know what to do," Cheng said. "I'm still shaking. At this moment, I forgot to open my store."
Cheng says for years South Street has been a good neighborhood, but lately on weekends, large crowds have been gathering late at night, making some residents and business owners feel unsafe.
"I think it was around 6:30 and we had to lock the door and customers, some of the customers still inside and they are so scared to go outside. They said, 'Please lock the door,'" Cheng said.
Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district includes Queen Village, is proposing a curfew until a solution can be found.
"On South Street, some of these businesses were closing early on their own for fear of what was going to happen. So we need to now make sure they don't do that and how do we make them feel safe?" Squilla said.
Cheng is worried a curfew that's too early could drive customers away.
"How can they enjoy restaurants here, like dinner time? So most of the restaurants and bars have to shut down," Cheng said.
CBS3 spoke to the owner of Haagen-Dazs on South Street, Brain Calhoun.
He says businesses in this area are hurting and crime has been a growing problem in the area since October.
The ice cream shop's surveillance cameras captured the shooting. The owner did not provide the footage, but he showed it to CBS3's Wakisha Bailey and it appears to show two men arguing, then pulling out a gun and shooting at each other, sending crowds running for cover.
Numerous bystanders were struck by the gunfire.
In wake of the recent violence, Calhoun said that businesses on South Street held an emergency meeting with police last Tuesday and agreed to close at 10 p.m. to discourage people from coming to the area.
Due to growing concerns about crime over the last several weeks, the Queen Village Neighbors Association organized a town hall meeting with Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. It's being held on Wednesday night.
"It's just devastating to morale and that is what I really truly want the police commissioner to see," Queen Village Neighbors Association President Eleanor Ingersoll said.
The meeting will be held at George W. Nebinger School on Carpenter Street.
The meeting was scheduled prior to Saturday's mass shooting where three people, including a gunman, were killed and 11 others were struck by gunfire.
