Thursday, December 04, 2008

Dallas crime report...

You know, I like the city. I live in the Dallas suburbs where it is nice, quiet, tidy, but Dallas looms to the south, lush with museums, pro sports, music, art, shopping, you name it. I like knowing all of that is nearby.
Today Sis I went to Harry Hines Blvd., which is a strip of shops with all sorts of jewelry and other goodies... imports, cheap, sparkling wonders! In truth, it is not the best part of Dallas, but we have never had any trouble except a loose rhinestone or two.
So, there we are in one of our haunts, trolling for glittery earrings when I notice a group of young... what's the word?... oh, yeah... THUGS are in this shop of 100% girly crap... cheap stuff, not worth stealing. There behavior was aggressive and I tried to move away from them, hoping they would leave soon. The shop owner apparently thought the same thing. I later learned that he saw them stealing and asked them to leave.
So, I'll cut to the chase. They DID leave, but one of the group came back to leave a parting gift... blasts of what I now know was PEPPER SPRAY! I did not see this, but soon the shop ownwers were coughing, my sis feeling a burning sensation in her eyes, nose and throat and I, unfortunately went rapidly from coughing to gasping for air. I stumbled out of the shop into the cold, windy day. I gasped and fought to breathe. In a short time (though it seemed long) I could breathe again, but all of us were coughing and basically in a bit of shock!
The Dallas Police rolled up a leisurely 45 minutes later and the building (that had the double doors open the whole time) still smelled so strongly of pepper spray they would not enter it.
The thugs were long gone, probably laughing their asses off. I felt so bad for the shop owners, a kind Asian couple, that were so apologetic, as if it were their fault! Sigh... they were just trying to make a living. I know this is a minor crime, but it is sad and reminds me that life in the city is not all plays and nice resturants, a pretty skyline. There are misguided kids headed toward bigger crimes, an over-worked police force and immigrants who are victimized as they go about their honest work.
Well, we DID get some nice gifts purchased before the incident, but I think I may shop in suburbia for a while now.

5 comments:

Moongrl722 said...

OMG How scary!! I'm glad you are okay. The lack of regard or respect that those kids have and their behavior is really disturbing.

Tina(Taken over by her daughter, Nicole) said...

this is why my husband bought me a handgun...people like that...not for defense against pepper spray..but for thugs..Glad that's all that happened and you nor anyone were injured..

Anonymous said...

Jeez! I glad you are ok! There are too many incidents like this. So frustrating. You can really see how stuff could have escalated too....so glad you are OK
xoxo
Dollybelle

Leah C said...

What a traumatic experience to what should have been a fun shopping spree! I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt. Pepper spray is nasty stuff...but thank goodness those thugs didn't have guns.

Anonymous said...

DALE OMG OMG OMG THAT IS FREAKEN SCARY!! girl I just hate that you cant even go to one of your stores you love without people acting a fool!!! I hope your better! BIG HUGS


toodles-
sarah

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails