CLEVELAND — Dozens of concerned residents met during Council President Blaine Griffin’s monthly Ward 6 meeting on Tuesday to address their concerns.
This gathering happened just days after this past weekend’s deadly car meet-up on Buckeye Road, among other violent incidents in Cleveland, which led to a total of three deaths across the area.
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“How many people have to die before anything is done? People’s lives are at stake here,” said one concerned resident.
Neighbors spoke out and asked for solutions to save people’s lives.
They even asked if speed-calming measures could be installed to help fight crime.
“We have to stop making excuses and start solving things,” said a concerned resident.
Cleveland Police and Griffin responded and said they’re working to one day get these resources to address the community’s concerns.
“This is more than just about me being a councilperson. This is about me just really caring about our neighborhood and watching what we need to do in order to improve the lives,” said Griffin.
Still, Griffin said it’s been a challenging time in the community, so he understands why some neighbors are concerned for their safety.
Some even questioned what this recent violence could mean for the community, especially due to past problems at the Huntington Bank Branch on Buckeye Road.
For months, we reported on the bank’s temporary closure and how the financial institution even considered closing down for good due to crime on and near the bank’s property.
RELATED: Cleveland's Huntington Bank Buckeye branch reopens Monday
But Griffin and the community fought to save the bank, which reopened last October, so he said he is prepared to do what’s necessary to survive.
“This has been a hot area that we’ve been trying to invest in, and we won’t allow one incident to define us,” said Griffin.
Worries about the community’s growth came up after we saw a window boarded up at the KeyBank branch in the Shoppes at Buckeye.
“If they close this place down, we’re all going to be disenfranchised,” said Bob Render, a longtime Cleveland Buckeye resident.
It's not clear if the boarded-up window is a result of the deadly shooting, so News 5 reached out to KeyBank for comment, and they sent the following statement: “
Our thoughts are with those impacted by the incident that took place this past weekend in Cleveland. We are committed to cooperating fully with police as they investigate. Any questions related to this incident should be directed to the appropriate authorities.”
