A Holiday Tradition

Once again, it seems like for Mayhem for the Holidays after reports of a double shooting last night at the fabled Coconut Grove on South Avenue, following a home invasion over the weekend where a 17-year-old was killed and a man was dragged under a car for several blocks, through a drive through of a fast food restaurant and then several more blocks.

The holidays in Youngstown are hectic for those in law enforcement. It seems like every year there is an uptick in crime after Thanksgiving. This is not just my imagination. Several people in the police department have told me they do get busier around the holidays.

Who can forget six homicides one December a few years ago, five of them avenging drug related robberies? But it is mostly robberies and burglaries that keep cops hopping from car to car.

Obviously the thugs are not imbued with the holiday spirit. And houses full of stuffed stockings and presents under the tree are too much of a temptation for those who choose not to buy their own presents.

But the violence is puzzling. The city has done a good job keeping it in check this year for the most part. But this is Youngstown. And one thing I've learned there is that anything can happen at anytime, regardless of the season.