As a neighbors on one street mourn the loss of one man’s life and another recovers from a gunshot wound to his leg, residents want the violence to end.
Orange Police officers responded to a disturbance call at approximately 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the 200 block of Dewey Street in Orange. When officers arrived, a man was found laying on the street with a gunshot wound.
Elizuh Alexander, 22, was transported to Baptist Hospital Orange where he was pronounced dead.
Another, unidentified, individual was at the hospital seeking treatment for gunshot wounds to the legs. He was reportedly transported by private vehicle to the medical facility.
Police confirmed the two men were in a dispute but could not clarify on the argument due to the incident is still under investigation.
“We are still investigating,” Captain Cliff Hargrave said. “We do have three persons of interest at this time.”
No arrests have been made at this time.
One resident said the incident has not put a temper on the neighborhood.
“We want the kids and elderly to be safe,” Henry T. Lazenby II said. “We do not want anything like that to happen again.”
Lazenby has resided on the street for approximately 50 years.
“We are mending here,” Lazenby said. “The older generation is talking to the younger generation. We do not want a retaliation because that will not solve anything.”
Lazenby said he was positive the neighborhood would work through this.
“No one is taking over the neighborhood,” Lazenby said. “I feel real good that we will shine a light on it [the neighborhood].”
Daruis Thomas, who has lived in the area for 48 years, said things will simmer down.
“Sometimes people react before they know what happens,” Thomas said. “There are no gangs in this area but there is a need for recreation for the kids so they have a place to go.”
Lazenby and Thomas both agreed with summer coming, the younger children needed a place to play and feel safe.
“A couple of years ago, they opened the gym at the high school during the summer, but these kids do not have a way to travel to and from the high school,” Thomas said. “We need something in the neighborhood. We understand that the budget falls short and that means we fall short. The youth are not involved in the church anymore.”Lazenby suggested bringing back the Vacation Bible Studies.
“We have the river and the Gulf,” Lazenby said. “We could offer water events or fishing lessons.”
Thomas said the objective was to keeps the youth off the streets.
“It could be something minor,” Thomas said. “Something to help provide more guidance. Back in the day, you could get on to a kid if you saw them messing up. Now parents say ‘don’t mess with my kid.”
Sheila Taylor, a minister, said she moved back to the area a year ago.
“This just tore at my heart,” Taylor said. “We see it happening around us and now it is here.”
Taylor said she has spoken with the family of Elizuh Alexander.
“They are suffering from grief of a loss, pain,” Taylor said. “As a community, we need to come together and focus on the family. We need to show more love to one another and ask what we can do to help.”
Taylor also agreed there need to be more programs to help the youth.
“This is a good neighborhood,” Taylor said. “People moved out after the hurricane and very few are still here in Navy Park. We need to do something to build it up again.”