A Tonganoxie teen-ager who was shot in the leg early Friday morning apparently is expecting a full recovery, but the incident doesn't present a particularly positive image of safety in Lawrence's downtown.
The shooting occurred in the 1000 block of Massachusetts shortly before 1 a.m. Friday. People involved in the altercation had previously been inside the Granada, 1020 Mass. If you asked almost any Lawrence resident the most likely downtown location for such violence to break out just after midnight, the answer probably would be the 1000 block of Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, groups that gather outside drinking establishments and entertainment venues in the south part of downtown are gaining a reputation for being ill-behaved. After closing time, foot traffic in the area increases and groups start to gather. Many people in Lawrence find the atmosphere menacing and avoid it late at night.
Increased police patrols may be part of the answer, but other steps probably are necessary. Owners of businesses that cater to late-night crowds need to take more responsibility for their patrons. That may mean cutting off alcohol service to trouble-makers or catering to a different kind of crowd. If these businesses can't control their patrons, maybe the city should take steps to require earlier closing hours or even pull some liquor licenses from businesses that pose what city ordinances refer to as a "habitual public nuisance."
Members of the public shouldn't have to put up with an unsafe atmosphere, and other businesses in the area shouldn't have to cope with the morning-after mess created by these late-night antics.
Local law enforcement also should take a hard line on people like Friday morning's gunman. People who commit such crimes should face the toughest possible penalties.
Hopefully, the south end of downtown is on the brink of a renaissance. Construction of the Downtown 2000 project in the 900 block of New Hampshire is expected to bring new activity south of Ninth Street. The new Lawrence Arts Center, close to the intersection of 10th and New Hampshire, also will bring a different kind of nightlife into that part of downtown. Having the arts center and the new multi-level parking garage in that block, however, will make it even more important to insure the safety of pedestrians and motorists in that area, especially after dark.
We in Lawrence like to think that we don't have to worry about "big city" problems like shootings and street violence. Incidents such as the one Friday morning are a reminder that we have reason to be concerned and reason to put a renewed emphasis on public safety in our active and attractive downtown.
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