Neighbors see changes after raising concerns to Denver police following Ma Kaing shooting
Last month's shooting death of a beloved community member and activist prompted residents in a Denver neighborhood to demand that police take more steps to keep them safe. Investigators believe a stray bullet hit Ma Kaing as she was unloading groceries at her home at an apartment building on 1313 Xenia Street.
Kaing's neighbors say they are now seeing some changes. They are noticing a difference after meeting with authorities several times. They demanded more patrols and faster response times.
On Wednesday they met at Kaing's apartment building -- Hidden Brook Apartments -- for a food giveaway and to assess just how things have changed.
Denver has installed more lights and surveillance cameras. The Denver Police Department has also increased patrols. Verizon says it has also fixed a problem that routed some 911 phone calls to Aurora rather than Denver.
"It does make me feel better that I'm not hearing more gunshots at night. I'm not hearing things happening overnight or I come back home and nothing has happened," said resident Ladia Htoo at Wednesday's giveaway event. "So, constantly making progress towards making this neighborhood better, this neighborhood safer, gives us reassurance that we are cared for, we are heard and they care about our safety."
Htoo says feeling truly safe is about feeling safe inside yourself. As a result, Htoo is looking to leave the neighborhood.
