Four

For the fourth time in just over eight months I am standing outside the crime scene tape at a homicide scene as officers begin the investigation of the latest death, a 72-year-old man found lying in a pool of blood.
This killing took place on West Carlton near the middle of the city. The other three killings have been scattered through town. No one area seems safer or more dangerous than the other. Random acts of violence. With the violence and sex crimes it seems Tracy has been heading down a dark path. I am starting to doubt if the light will ever come at the end of this tunnel we are traveling down.
This has been no ordinary year. Just when we think we have seen the end of the violence we are greeted with a fresh crime. I'm starting to not recognize the town I grew up in. This is not the same city and streets where my grandmother would walk from her home to my parent' s home at night. These are different streets now where gang members emblazoned with their gang affiliation walk down the street uncaring. Streets where people lock their doors and switch on their video surveillance cameras at night as they brace for a night of crime on their block.
I'm starting to hate this town. Maybe it is just I am a little depressed from going to all these horrible events. The court appearances, the candlelight vigils the grieving family members-it is just one depressing assignment. I keep waiting for something good to happen and it never does.
I wonder how many more tragedies we will have this year as the few remaining weeks wind down. I can't wait for the this year to end. We need a fresh start, a new beginning. I hope this is the end of the violence for now but I have been disappointed before.