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Margate Resident asks for Police Protection
• Drugs and bullying out of control he says
Wednesday,
May 26, 2010
Margate resident John Gerundo said that bullying and drug dealing in his neighborhood is out of control. He said he and his friends are terrified to ride their bikes and that he came to city hall last week to let police know what’s going on.
"I want to let the city know we desperately need police surveillance in our neighborhood," Gerundo said.
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Gerundo told Margate commissioners, police and the public at last week’s city commission meeting that he had been stopped on his bicycle by “three black thugs” said Gerundo, who blocked his way and wanted him to buy drugs.
Gerundo said he was pushed off his bike, used pepper spray on his assailants, then called 911. The incident occurred at about 10 p.m., Gerundo said, as he rode his bicycle home from the BP gas station.
“I don’t want to sound like I have anything against black people,” said Gerundo, “but these kids were black.”
Gerundo said if it wasn’t for his pepper spray he didn’t know what would have happened. He sprayed the kids and they walked away, he said.
“I was terrified. I’m a prime target…I’m young and I’m white.”
Gerundo's neighborhood is located a few blocks south of the La Granja restaurant and BP gas station on 66 Avenue.
“What are you looking at white boy?” Gerundo said one kid asked.
“I told him I wasn’t even looking at him,” he said.
A drive down 66 Avenue toward NW 1 Court reveals kids of all colors hanging out, but the network of lookouts on bikes, and the few key players stationed along the street, are hard to miss.
"I know longer feel comfortable in my neighborhood, I don't even walk the dog at night anymore," Gerundo told commissioners.
Reader Opinion.
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