Image Credit: WeGo Transit / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Nashville residents are questioning the safety of the city’s mass transit program after several violent incidents have occurred, all while the city continues to push for funds for a newly proposed transportation improvement plan.
WeGo and Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell have insisted that the city’s transportation system is safe, although there have been two shootings and two stabbings since the mayor requested additional funding for the program.
On May 16, convicted felon Kenneth Johnson was arrested for a shooting that injured an 18-year-old male at the Elizabeth Duff Transit Center. Police are investigating a motive that potentially involves drugs.
A WeGo bus driver was injured during an altercation on May 20 with 30-year-old passenger Dericka Scivally. Scivally allegedly pulled a knife out and assaulted the driver, resulting in a charge of attempted homicide.
WeGo officials responded that while the incidents are “extremely serious and disturbing”, they are also “highly unusual.”
On Friday, May 24, a man was shot multiple times, again outside of the Duff Transit Center. 19-year-old Dejuan Prime was arrested and charged with attempted criminal homicide. The victim stated that Prime was following him, so he threw a cup of coffee on Prime, who then shot him.
At an Edge Hill bus stop, a man was found on May 30, with several stab wounds. A suspect was arrested in that case as well.
The mayor’s office continues to tout the safety of the transit system, claiming that there had only been three shooting incidents at the transit center during its entire 15-year history prior to March 4.
WeGo has doubled its budget for security, and last year the group hired an outside firm to look into their safety procedures.
Mayor O’Connell recently proposed the Choose How You Move program, with an estimated cost of $6.93 billion over 15 years. A November vote will determine whether city residents will face a 0.5% sales tax increase to help fund the plan.
If the proposal passes, that tax increase would go into effect on Feb. 1, 2025.
4 Responses
Typical “woke” city reaction. Hell, just throw more money at it and that’ll solve the problem. Instead of enforcing law to the max, defunding the police and keeping them from doing their jobs, these cities, Memphis is another prime example, would do much better to use that money where it will do something. More jails are not the answer, harsher punishments for the crimes mentioned in the article are a big part of the solution. Another good thing would be to remove the ACLU from Tn.
But Ralph. unless you mean the death penalty (which would be unconstitutional), or big fines (to be paid by people who are mostly broke) by “harsher punishments” you have to mean more jail time. More jail time requires [altogether now] “MORE JAILS” which is exactly what I feel this state and nation needs. MORE JAILS – MORE PEOPLE IN JAILS. It ain’t pretty and its costly, but that will solve the crime and lawlessness problem for certain.
I don’t think Nashville can be saved. There don’t seem to be any conservatives left who are willing to step up and fight stupid Lib proposals like this one. All they want to do is have dinners and picnics.
The proposal is that anyone earning less than $48,000 rides free. That means most of the current income goes away and homeless and illegals ride free. When the homeless start riding, paying customers will stop.
They are saying it doesn’t matter how much money it loses because it’s an “Essential Service” like the police.
The bus system will lose a huge amount of money and require property tax increases.
Stupid is as
Stupid does.
Frankly I don’t give a rip abt Crashville.
Except the legislature always gives them more mon$y, from those that go there anymore.
It seems to me Crashville should be under outside audit monitoring restrictions