TOLEDO, Ohio — The double homicide of 67-year-old Gino Highsmith and 50-year-old Dennis Washington in Toledo's Junction neighborhood over the weekend happened as the city still works to revitalize the area. Members of the Junction community said they still want more community involvement.
Junction Coalition Director Alicia Smith said the safe neighborhood advocacy group's priority is rebuilding one of Toledo's oldest neighborhoods, even in the wake of violence.
"I don't think that there is one citizen in Toledo, in the community and in Junction that wakes up and says, 'I want to be the victim of the crime,'" Smith said.
She said the crimes that have happened in this community are committed by people who, most of the time, don't even live in the area.
Ruth Lofton has lived in Junction for 17 years and said she would like to see more security.
"I just feel like we should have more police presence just rolling through the neighborhood, especially after hours," Lofton said.
Junction Coalition President Robert Rivers said police need to go the extra mile beyond just driving by to make residents more comfortable.
"Maybe get out and walk for a block or two, and stop and talk to some of the residents they see on the street and have the policemen introduce themselves some more so we can get to know them," he said.
David Ross, a community activist in the Junction Coalition, said the people who live in the neighborhood know what it needs best.
"The hungry people, the people that are not being represented," Ross said. "The people that aren't getting opportunities, we're trying to create them for them and it's not just us, it's a collective effort."
On Sunday, the neighborhood acknowledged Junction Park being open for use and celebrated its collective work.
Smith said the group is also working with other partners to continue the development of the economy and safety as the city introduced its violence interrupter program last year.
Some partners also include the Junction Economic Transformation Center and Toledo Urban Credit Union, which Smith said is helping 42 small businesses in Junction to improve the area economically.