And more discussion over at Left-in-Lowell
http://www.leftinlowell.com/2012/01/16/what-the-hell-is-going-on-downtown/
Rob Mills has updated his story on-line
http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_19751690
Thankfully the young man who was stabbed has been released from the hospital.
this situation does beg the question why the city continues to ignore repeated reports from Chief Lavallee about the escalating situation in this area.
There are some very simple and cost efficient things that could have been done immediately…enlist business owners to keep lights on at night, specifically in the parking lot of Paige & John where most of these fights occur; place surveillance cameras in the parking dept. office which is directly across from aformentioned parking lot and cameras at the corner of John & Merrimack Streets.
The city has committed considerable resources on surveillance to catch people illegally dumping trash; can we not do at least that much to improve public safety?
Rob Mills tells the very sad story and states the obvious about the neighborhood bickering…
Man stabbed in downtown Lowell
Posted by Police Line on January 15, 2012
The Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association, bar owners, the city administration and the License Commission are battling each other in an epic attempt to decide when to hold a meeting.
Meanwhile, a man was stabbed in downtown Lowell and flown to a Boston trauma center early this morning shortly after last call.
Police have not identified the man. I have no indication whatsoever whether alcohol was involved. Here is what I do know:
At about 2 a.m., a police sergeant called the “downtown portable,” a police unit assigned to patrol around downtown bars, to the area of Middle and Central streets to help deal with a “highly intoxicated” woman.
At the same time, a fight was reported in the area of Paige and Lee streets — a common trouble spot downtown when bars close, which has been discussed at prior public meetings.
Two cars who weren’t dealing with the situation on Middle Street were sent to Lee and Paige. By the time they arrived, they reported the fight was breaking up. There were no more radio transmissions regarding the fight.
At 2:12 a.m., an officer was sent to the emergency room at Lowell General Hospital, because a man had just walked into the ER with a stab wound…
Read the whole blog entry:
http://sunpoliceline.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/man-stabbed-in-downtown-lowell/