shootings

screaming women.
hundreds and hundreds of black kids swarmed Coolidge Park.
Chattanooga was a regular war zone.
There seemed to be no event, no activity, but the numbers upon numbers of gang colors that were out were crazy.

me and alex thomspon were walking down the sidewalk when we saw some teenage girls come running up the street behind us screaming in terror. I couldn't tell why but then I saw the police coming up after them. bursting from their group were too young high school men, one had grabbed the other around the collar and pushed him up against a car, and proceeded to start beating him to a pulp.

people started pushing and the two men started getting closer to the observing pedestrians. me and alex ducked into Stone Cup where the staff told us to get away from the windows and they promptly locked the doors to keep the violence out. Earlier, I had seen a man being taken away on a stretcher, and even later I found out that 4 people had been injured in a shooting that had taken place near the park.

I had no idea Chattanooga gang violence was this prevalent, or that they would dare take in to the streets in North Shore.

scary stuff