For those of you who look to relocate to Tucson, AZ in 2008... (Phoenix: high crime, home)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am writing this post in hopes to reach those of you thinking about moving to Tucson, AZ. I am not trying to discourage that decision, but I do hope that you will heed what I have to say and consider it – especially if you are moving here with children
was born and raised on the northwest side of Phoenix, AZ. I lived on a main street, and around the corner from a police station. The sound of the sirens became as commonplace as it is in any other big city. My house was broken into, gunshots were rarer than you would expect, but there was still a fair share of crime. When you grow up around it, it seems to just become a part of your life. I accepted it at a young age and moved on. I knew that crime happened everywhere…and Phoenix was a relatively safe place to live compared to other places in the U.S.
Back in the fall of 2004, I moved to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona. With a full academic scholarship and some extra money for spending, I lived on campus and decided not to work. I felt like I was in my own secluded bubble. This was the first time I was away from home – really on my own. I felt safe, and only heard of the occasional attempted rapes on campus, but I didn’t go out at night alone. I didn’t read much other than the UofA newspaper, and I didn’t watch much of the news. I kept up with politics, but that was the extent of my local/national knowledge. I never had any issues while living on campus that first year. I think that blinded me to what was outside of the campus, but it happens to the best of us.
After my freshman year, I moved out into a student rental home with 5 others. We had a decent 5 bedroom house within a 10-15 minute walk from my classes. We lived just north of Speedway…which some of you may have heard is the main drag in town, especially for anyone connected to the University. Not long after living there, we had cops swarming around and blocking off the surrounding areas. Turns out a murder suspect was trying to outrun the cops, crashed into a pole less than a block away from my home, tried to run through an alley, and somehow shot and killed himself by accident. Strange – yes. Did I feel unsafe? Slightly. Anything else happen after that? No.
For the beginning of my junior year, I was accepted for a study abroad program in Spain. I packed up and moved to Alcala de Henares, just outside of Madrid, for 5 months. That being the first time I left the country, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was warned about pickpockets, but really nothing else. After just a short time, I came to realize – and experience first-hand – that threat. I also came to realize that I was comfortable walking alone at any time without threat. I never heard news reports about murder or the like. Five months both in Spain and travelling solo around Europe, never once walking with a knife in my hand in fear of my life. Constantly walking alone through unknown streets actually convinced of my safety for the first time in my life…still aware, but not needing to look over my shoulder with every step.
Coming home from Spain, I felt refreshed and filled with a new sense of self. I was able to sort out a lot of my own issues and revise what I wanted from my life over there. I discarded my pre-med minor and pursued my love for learning foreign languages and cultures. I had seen enough carnage in my life…I worked in a hospital for a while in several different areas. I had assisted in a burn unit and a trauma room. I knew how unfair life could be. I wanted to focus on the serenity and love of life I found in Europe and not on the carnage I had become numb to in the past. I moved into a house with a friend on the south side of Tucson. It was a brand new development – very nice – and we both looked forward to a new experience. After a while I realized that I needed to be on my own, especially after an incident with murder in our community.
I moved into an apartment in central Tucson…near First and Prince. The price was relatively low, and it is a quiet, gated complex. I found a new job at Safehouse, a local coffee shop where I had been a loyal customer over the years. It is located near Speedway and Alvernon. On any given night, you can expect to see more than one police car speed by with sirens and lights going. I sit there and count them on a regular basis…3, 5, 13 even, in one night.
A few months into my lease, I met my neighbor that lived 3 apartments down from me. We quickly realized our immediate and undeniable connection, and we fell in love – the kind of love neither of us ever thought existed. It was that once in a lifetime love that most people never find. We never fought, and instantly became part of a huge family of friends that saw and encouraged how we completed each other and bettered each other in every way. He had just graduated with his associate’s degree in business in December 2007, and was looking for a new job. He drove a cab at night to put himself through school. It paid the bills, and he loved the interaction with people, but he wanted a more reliable income. Three months after we met, we found out that I was pregnant, and this made his job search ever more important to him. He was excited to be a father and actively involved in being at every doctor’s appointments with me. We moved into a new 2-bedroom apartment together on March 1, 2008 in the same complex. We celebrated his 27th birthday on March 3 by going to a concert with a great group of friends. He was a happy man and was looking forward to the great new life we had started together. We were planning on getting married later this year. On March 5, 2008 Tim Royce, my fiancé, was robbed and murdered while driving his cab. It happened a block north of Speedway, in central Tucson. He was shot and killed, his body left in an alley. It was a normal pickup…2 women and a man. He didn’t see anything sketchy about the call otherwise he wouldn’t have taken it. I can only assume they didn’t ask for his money, because he would have given them everything he had. These 3 people are in jail pending trial, and they are all charged with first degree murder, aggravated robbery, and armed robbery. They left his unborn child without the man who would have been an amazing father, his friends without a great friend who would do anything for anyone, his family without a son/brother/nephew/cousin/grandson, and me without the man I was going to spend the rest of my life growing old with. It has left the community in disarray and shock. Granted, the community is doing more than I ever expected to help out in this tragedy, but this shouldn’t be how the community comes together.
Tim was the 17th homicide in Tucson since January 1, 2008. Since his murder, the number has escalated to over 20. I don’t know what’s going on in this town so far this year, but I have never felt so unsafe. Several pedestrians were murdered in February for just walking down the street. In my opinion, this would not be my idea of a place to live if I was in your shoes. But then again, I don’t see anyone on this forum letting you know about the murders and people still missing so far in 2008. I’m not looking for sympathy or pity. I know my life will never be the same. I know this child’s life will be difficult. But if I can save another family from going through planning their child/sibling/spouse/father’s funeral and seeing their body lowered into a grave, then Tim’s murder was not in vein. Please, reconsider your options.
I am sorry for your loss and wish you every future happiness.
But what happened to you in Tucson could have happen in anywhere in the country today.
Sadly all cities are dangerous places now-a-days and driving a cab is certainly risky.
sorry for your loss, that is a sad story, but Tuscon is hardly a unsafe city to me. Plus being a cab driver has always been one of the most dangerous jobs...not to make light of your situation. Philadelphia had over 300+ homicides in 2007.
Just before I read your post I had realized that Tucson is not the place for me, and I had started to look at other options.
My prayers are with you and your baby. In spite of all you've been through, you sound very strong. Obviously you're also quite intelligent, and you have a beautiful heart.
My suggestion is that you ask for guidance regarding whether this is the best place to raise your baby. If it's not, just start taking one step at a time towards changing your situation...not because you are afraid to live here, but rather because perhaps you are meant to be somewhere else.
I'll also pray for the people who killed your dear husband. Christ tells us to pray for our enemies. Such prayer often brings forgiveness and peace of mind, when nothing else can.
You find trouble like this no matter where your live.Every town has its pockets that you shouldnt live in. Tucson is a great place to love,once you figure out where to live.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmary
Just before I read your post I had realized that Tucson is not the place for me, and I had started to look at other options.
My prayers are with you and your baby. In spite of all you've been through, you sound very strong. Obviously you're also quite intelligent, and you have a beautiful heart.
My suggestion is that you ask for guidance regarding whether this is the best place to raise your baby. If it's not, just start taking one step at a time towards changing your situation...not because you are afraid to live here, but rather because perhaps you are meant to be somewhere else.
I'll also pray for the people who killed your dear husband. Christ tells us to pray for our enemies. Such prayer often brings forgiveness and peace of mind, when nothing else can.
Just last month here in the SF Bay Area (I moved out of Tuscon back in '95) 3 people, a father and two sons were murdered over a case of road rage. Road rage! Apparently the father's car cut off the shooter's turn or something as it was backing out of the driveway. Horrible and pointless.
Crime rates aren't limited just to violent crime, though of course it is by far the worst sort of thing that can happen to one, especially in your case. I'm so sorry for your loss. Arizona has the highest rate of reported identity theft in the country, so if you're very concerned about it you might want to consider getting a creditlock placed on your accounts or some other form of family protection. That's actually good advice no matter what your state, really.
Of course, in essence, any murder rate is an alarming figure, but as an earlier poster accurately stated, this is the most violent country in the world. I hope Tucson can provide my family with a happier, more peaceful existence.
I would never make light of any one's suffering over the loss of a loved one to violent crime. That being said the US is not the most violent country in the world. Not even close. South Africa, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Russia and Mexico all have significantly higher murder rates than the US, just to name a few. Maybe you wouldn't want to live in any of those countries, but it's still incorrect to make a blanket statement like that.
You find trouble like this no matter where your live.Every town has its pockets that you shouldnt live in. Tucson is a great place to love,once you figure out where to live.
Very true, sometimes people share their stories about bad experiences in one city, and then make it sound like it's all because of that one city, that if they had been anywhere else it would have never happened.
For anyone that had something bad happen to them in Tucson please don't misunderstand me, I feel for any pain or grief you might have went or are still going through. There is crime everywhere though, some places more than others, but just because bad things happen doesn't mean Tucson is an evil place and that anywhere else gives you complete safety.
I'm amazed to have stumbled over your post, having recently saw your fiancé's murder documented on a recent episode of "The First 48" on A & E. I recall being particularly touched and troubled by what I saw. One is used to hearing about murders in "bad" areas of town (I'm referring to towns in general, as I am not a resident of Tucson but have spent time there), where folks engaging in risky behavior - drugs, prostitution, and the like - are everywhere. I remember Tim's story and what a decent guy he seemed to be. I've watched that show many times and don't recall being so touched by a particular story as I was by Tim's.
I can certainly understand why you'd feel the way you would about Tucson now. The time I spent there on a 10-day business trip 9 years ago was pleasant and uneventful (my memory isn't so great, but I believe we stayed at the Westin La Paloma), and I am sad to hear that such a beautiful city is being marred by increasing crime.
Best of luck, wherever you end up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by InLovingMemoryTimRoyce
I am writing this post in hopes to reach those of you thinking about moving to Tucson, AZ. I am not trying to discourage that decision, but I do hope that you will heed what I have to say and consider it – especially if you are moving here with children
was born and raised on the northwest side of Phoenix, AZ. I lived on a main street, and around the corner from a police station. The sound of the sirens became as commonplace as it is in any other big city. My house was broken into, gunshots were rarer than you would expect, but there was still a fair share of crime. When you grow up around it, it seems to just become a part of your life. I accepted it at a young age and moved on. I knew that crime happened everywhere…and Phoenix was a relatively safe place to live compared to other places in the U.S.
Back in the fall of 2004, I moved to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona. With a full academic scholarship and some extra money for spending, I lived on campus and decided not to work. I felt like I was in my own secluded bubble. This was the first time I was away from home – really on my own. I felt safe, and only heard of the occasional attempted rapes on campus, but I didn’t go out at night alone. I didn’t read much other than the UofA newspaper, and I didn’t watch much of the news. I kept up with politics, but that was the extent of my local/national knowledge. I never had any issues while living on campus that first year. I think that blinded me to what was outside of the campus, but it happens to the best of us.
After my freshman year, I moved out into a student rental home with 5 others. We had a decent 5 bedroom house within a 10-15 minute walk from my classes. We lived just north of Speedway…which some of you may have heard is the main drag in town, especially for anyone connected to the University. Not long after living there, we had cops swarming around and blocking off the surrounding areas. Turns out a murder suspect was trying to outrun the cops, crashed into a pole less than a block away from my home, tried to run through an alley, and somehow shot and killed himself by accident. Strange – yes. Did I feel unsafe? Slightly. Anything else happen after that? No.
For the beginning of my junior year, I was accepted for a study abroad program in Spain. I packed up and moved to Alcala de Henares, just outside of Madrid, for 5 months. That being the first time I left the country, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was warned about pickpockets, but really nothing else. After just a short time, I came to realize – and experience first-hand – that threat. I also came to realize that I was comfortable walking alone at any time without threat. I never heard news reports about murder or the like. Five months both in Spain and travelling solo around Europe, never once walking with a knife in my hand in fear of my life. Constantly walking alone through unknown streets actually convinced of my safety for the first time in my life…still aware, but not needing to look over my shoulder with every step.
Coming home from Spain, I felt refreshed and filled with a new sense of self. I was able to sort out a lot of my own issues and revise what I wanted from my life over there. I discarded my pre-med minor and pursued my love for learning foreign languages and cultures. I had seen enough carnage in my life…I worked in a hospital for a while in several different areas. I had assisted in a burn unit and a trauma room. I knew how unfair life could be. I wanted to focus on the serenity and love of life I found in Europe and not on the carnage I had become numb to in the past. I moved into a house with a friend on the south side of Tucson. It was a brand new development – very nice – and we both looked forward to a new experience. After a while I realized that I needed to be on my own, especially after an incident with murder in our community.
I moved into an apartment in central Tucson…near First and Prince. The price was relatively low, and it is a quiet, gated complex. I found a new job at Safehouse, a local coffee shop where I had been a loyal customer over the years. It is located near Speedway and Alvernon. On any given night, you can expect to see more than one police car speed by with sirens and lights going. I sit there and count them on a regular basis…3, 5, 13 even, in one night.
A few months into my lease, I met my neighbor that lived 3 apartments down from me. We quickly realized our immediate and undeniable connection, and we fell in love – the kind of love neither of us ever thought existed. It was that once in a lifetime love that most people never find. We never fought, and instantly became part of a huge family of friends that saw and encouraged how we completed each other and bettered each other in every way. He had just graduated with his associate’s degree in business in December 2007, and was looking for a new job. He drove a cab at night to put himself through school. It paid the bills, and he loved the interaction with people, but he wanted a more reliable income. Three months after we met, we found out that I was pregnant, and this made his job search ever more important to him. He was excited to be a father and actively involved in being at every doctor’s appointments with me. We moved into a new 2-bedroom apartment together on March 1, 2008 in the same complex. We celebrated his 27th birthday on March 3 by going to a concert with a great group of friends. He was a happy man and was looking forward to the great new life we had started together. We were planning on getting married later this year. On March 5, 2008 Tim Royce, my fiancé, was robbed and murdered while driving his cab. It happened a block north of Speedway, in central Tucson. He was shot and killed, his body left in an alley. It was a normal pickup…2 women and a man. He didn’t see anything sketchy about the call otherwise he wouldn’t have taken it. I can only assume they didn’t ask for his money, because he would have given them everything he had. These 3 people are in jail pending trial, and they are all charged with first degree murder, aggravated robbery, and armed robbery. They left his unborn child without the man who would have been an amazing father, his friends without a great friend who would do anything for anyone, his family without a son/brother/nephew/cousin/grandson, and me without the man I was going to spend the rest of my life growing old with. It has left the community in disarray and shock. Granted, the community is doing more than I ever expected to help out in this tragedy, but this shouldn’t be how the community comes together.
Tim was the 17th homicide in Tucson since January 1, 2008. Since his murder, the number has escalated to over 20. I don’t know what’s going on in this town so far this year, but I have never felt so unsafe. Several pedestrians were murdered in February for just walking down the street. In my opinion, this would not be my idea of a place to live if I was in your shoes. But then again, I don’t see anyone on this forum letting you know about the murders and people still missing so far in 2008. I’m not looking for sympathy or pity. I know my life will never be the same. I know this child’s life will be difficult. But if I can save another family from going through planning their child/sibling/spouse/father’s funeral and seeing their body lowered into a grave, then Tim’s murder was not in vein. Please, reconsider your options.
My condolences.
But that's like someone living in Harlem in NY or Overtown or Opa Locka in Miami and relaying that story.
Wouldn't have happened living in the nice part of town.
I lived on E Golflinks between Pantano & Camino Seco.
Upscale.
Wouldn't have gone to the area you speak of - at least not without a gun...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Tim Royce...The First 48
