The shooting death of Treavonne Owens Tuesday drove the number of homicides in 2016 to 26, one more than in all of 2015 and three shy of the deadliest year on record. The year with the most homicides was 1995, when 29 people were killed, according to the FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Report.
Three of this year’s homicides happened near Valley of the Moon Park, including Owens. Kevin Turner and Bryant “Brie” De Husson were found dead on August 28.
Hans Kruger, who has lived on E Street for more than 40 years, said it’s generally still a safe place to live.
“I wouldn’t say [it’s] a close community, but a quiet community,” he said. “Nothing happens, really, except these rare incidents.”
Others were less optimistic about crime in the area.
“I’m thinking I can send my kid to the park to play, and now I’m scared to do that,” said one woman who asked to not be identified. When she moved to the neighborhood recently, she thought it was safe. “I think I’m moving into a decent area and all these things are going on.”
A man who lives nearby, who also chose to be anonymous, said the community will only change when people get to know one another.
“You have to get involved in order to do anything, rather than sitting on Facebook talking to people,” he said.
When asked to comment on the number of homicides, the Anchorage Police Department said in an email to KTVA that they “do not have anything different to say than what we’ve already addressed on multiple previous occasions.”
Learn more about each of this year’s homicides and the victims involved through KTVA’s interactive map, below.
KTVA 11′s Eric Ruble can be reached via email or on Facebook and Twitter.
