BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer
Bernard and Willie Mae Rawls have lived in South Tampa for most of their lies. Over the years, they’ve seen the area experience its share of ups and down, but for the most part, it remained a quiet area.
Their daughter, Tonya Widemann, said at least that was the case until about 10 years ago.
“Violent crimes in the area have gone up, and the drug dealers have taken over the park and other areas.”
What has Ms. Widemann concerned is an incident that occurred just before New Year’s Day at the Kwane Doster Park. The incident involved a park ranger being shot at by a young man. The bullet missed the ranger, but entered the Rawls’s home, coming to a stop inside a wall just above the headboard in their bedroom.
“My father is in his 90s, and if he had been sitting up in bed, he’d be dead right now,” said Ms. Widemann. “What’s even worse is they’ve grown so accustomed to hearing gunshots coming from the park. That bullet came through their living room window, through the wall in the living room and ended only inches above the headboard in my father’s bedroom. That’s a very scary thing, and I fear for their safety.”
Ms. Widemann said she feel Tampa Police have done a great job in the area, but would like to see the city put more lights around the park.
“The park is isolated, and there are only a couple of streets that enter the park. It’s pitch black dark back there after the park lights are turned off, and that’s when all the drug dealing, gambling and other things start happening at the park.
“What hurts me the most, is all of t his is being done by young people who were born and raised out here. The outsiders that do come in are the guests of the young people that live here.”
Ms. Widemann said South Tampa is a place where a lot of Black former military personnel moved to when they retired, and many are still there.
“This is not what they want to see happen to their community. All they want is a quiet and peaceful place they can be proud off, and feel safe walking around or just sitting outside.”
