Local News

Neighbours shaken by Niagara Falls shooting

7/31/2012

People who live in the houses near the scene of a daytime shooting in Niagara Falls are worried now about the safety of their neighbourhood.

An 18-year-old was shot once in the chest at 1:30pm Monday at the corner of St. Lawrence Ave & Simcoe St.  The victim is in stable condition in Hamilton hospital.  Police are looking for the suspected shooter, 23-year-old Jordan Knott.  He's considered to be armed & dangerous.

Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati insists the downtown core is safe, but most people who live there aren't so sure.

17-year-old Adrian Napier witnessed the shooting.  With Simcoe Public School just 200m away, Napier wonders what might've happened if class was on, a bullet went astray & found its way into the school yard.

Melissa lives right across from Simcoe School where 2 of her nieces are students along with Napier's little brother.  She says in a neighbourhood with so many small kids, a shooting is "too close for comfort".

Melissa's boyfriend has lived in Niagara Falls his whole life.  He says he's heard about a couple stabbings & beatings in the city, but never a shooting.

Melissa admits she wasn't surprised to find out there'd been a shooting in the city.  She says Niagara Falls is "starting to get more & more like New York City".

A neighbourhood man likened Niagara Falls to Scarborough, the scene of a mass-shooting earlier this month, when gunfire erupted at a community BBQ killing 2 people & leaving 23 people with gunshot wounds.

At least 1 person who calls downtown Niagara Falls home isn't scared by Monday's shooting.

72-year-old Doreen says she loves to walk her dog in the core & sit outside at local cafés.  She says she won't let an isolated incident intimidate her.

RELATED:

Police ID suspect in Niagara Falls shooting

Falls mayor insists downtown is safe

Shooting in Niagara Falls

 

Leave a comment:

· Subscribe to comments
Be the first to comment here.