YEP I worked at a small liquor store in the projects at warren and connors accross from Chandler Park in the 1980's. PARKSIDE Projects... I have been through all of that and its not fun. I can't tell you how many times we were almost robbed, we were shot at from a distance on serveral occassions while closing the iron gates to go home. 3 homicides later, none involving employees, as well as 2 shootouts in the store again not by us employees.
Its rough working and owning a business as a minority in Detroit I get that. When people fear you word gets around the Hood, don't mess with that store those people are crazy and then you have no problems. Just how it was. The police would NEVER show up even back then. When they did they rolled past and that was it. We handled are own back then; because we had no other choice PERIOD. We fist fought everyother day literally and people knew we meant business. Don't get me wrong, the community loved us because we respected the community and helped out quite a bit with the people there. Also helped build rec centers etc... We knew who the bad people were and who were our good customers. We knew who would rob, steal and who was legit. I remember people respected us because they knew we could and would hold our own by whatever means neccessary. You have to use a ghetto mentality and be tough out there in the jungle. We didnt even have bulletproof glass until the late 80's when the younger kids started shooting alot.
Like I said he was probably trying to protect his business the way he knew that neighborhood would understand. Just made a wrong call, in the heat of the moment very easy to do.
