SAN ANTONIO — Shots shattered the calm Thursday night in the Jefferson Heights area when many neighbors were cooking or eating dinner.
Elizabeth, who was lives near the house that was the target of the drive by attack, said "I heard about 15 or 20 gunshots and I immediately knew it was just a couple of doors down."
The attack, that came from a small white sedan, was recorded by a number of surveillance cameras on neighboring homes, unblinking sentries that were installed to combat what residents say is a pervasive problem in the 1400 block of Center Street.
Elizabeth said the people in the house have been shot at or shot several times.
"At least three times since I've lived here in four years," she added.
In this attack, neighbors said one man was slightly grazed and did not require medical attention, but that hasn't always been the case.
In the fall of 2020, one resident was badly injured in a similar incident.
Elizabeth said the nearly constant, dangerous upheaval makes life a struggle.
Returning from an event Monday evening, Elizabeth said shots rang out nearby just 60 seconds after she had pulled into her driveway.
"It really makes me want to move. I love my neighbors. I love my home, but I am at the point where I am not at peace," Elizabeth said. "If they came out and retaliated and shot this way, we could easily be hit."
Elizabeth, and other neighbors who did not want to be publicly identified, said they have been fighting for change for years.
"We've gone to police about it. We've been to neighborhood association meetings. We've had Chief McManus' Chief of Staff in there, and they've told us they're going to do something and nothing has been done," Elizabeth said.
Another neighbor said he had workers in his yard during the attack and he too is tired of the threat.
"Neighbors have called the cops. They say they can't do anything. They have to take phone calls instead of address these issues and they told me to contact the council person, which I have done and I am still waiting for them to call back," the frustrated man said. "We can't rent our houses. People are moving out. It's a big issue."
The San Antonio Police Department provided a summary of calls for service to the house for the last 12 months. The list is not extensive. It includes one suspicious person call, two complaints about narcotics violations and one call each for a vice incident and an animal issue.
Elizabeth said neighbors are so frustrated they often don't bother to call police.
"Why call it in because nothing is going to happen," Elizabeth said. "I feel defeated. That's one thing I said when I moved in, I said I would not back down but I'm at the point I want to back down."
Elizabeth believes the lack of enforcement is related to the fact that Jefferson Heights has traditionally been home to many low income and people of color.
"This is absolutely 100% race and income based because this wouldn't happen in a wealthy area. Police would be on it immediately. Money talks and this neighborhood doesn't have that kind of money," Elizabeth said.
One man who owns a home in the area but lives elsewhere said "This is the place that has been an active drug dispensary for years. The neighborhood knows it's a drug house, the criminal elements know it's a drug house and the constant flow of customers know it's a drug house yet the police seem unable to shut it down."
A spokesman for SAPD promised KENS 5 a response to neighborhood concerns and when they provide one, we will share it.