Safety concerns renewed after shooting on light rail train in St. Paul
ST. PAUL, Minn. — There are renewed concerns about safety on the light rail after a shooting and robbery on a train in St. Paul on Saturday.
The light rail train might be convenient for some, but for others it is critical.
"We have to get where we need to be, whether it's work or groceries," rider Mary said.
Mary said she's so concerned about safety on the light rail train that she didn't want to show her face on camera, but she wanted to be heard — especially after seeing the aftermath of what happened Saturday night.
"Even though I didn't exactly know what was going on, just the man, the way he sounded, it sounded like he was seriously injured. That in itself was scary, and running around kind of frantic," she said.
The shooting is a setback for Metro Transit's efforts to improve safety, which include an updated code of conduct and new community service officers. Late last year, they also reported a 33% drop in crime, coupled with a nearly 15% boost in ridership.
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At Union Depot in St. Paul, riders said things are going well for the most part, but they would definitely welcome seeing more police at the stations and on the trains.
"Just the presence of squads would help big time because people see that and people are deterred from what they're doing if they're doing illegal activities," LRT rider Richard Brown said.
Metro police have budgeted for several more officers on patrols, but like most police departments, they've got to overcome the challenge of hiring them first.
The man who was shot is now in stable condition. According to police, the victim says that he was being robbed before the shooting occurred. The suspect then ran off.
Police are still looking for the suspect.