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Ridgedale Business Owner Speaks Out Against Crime

138 views · Published 11 October 2012 · 2:15 · Indexed 26 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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by Alyssa Spirato  People living in one Chattanooga neighborhood are angry, and anxious, over crime. People in the Ridgedale neighborhood want police to do something about crime,  but they just don't want to talk about it. But one business owner is stepping up, and isn't afraid to do it.If you ask Gary Ball about what he thinks about Ridgedale, all he can say is, he's fed up."I've said enough is enough for years. That's why I've been going to police meetings, that's why I continue to try to get somebody to step up to the plate," says Ball.His business, Tower Construction, has sat on East 14th Street for more than two decades. He says this area has been a haven for crime ever since he can remember. Within the last 18 months, two homicides at one address. the latest one happened just yesterday. Leslie Townsend was found shot to death in his car. In March 2011, Robert Moore was shot outside the same home. A home that Ball and many other neighbors say was built by Habitat For Humanity. Ball says that Habitat home has become a nightmare for many residents."If you could get people to talk down there that own their homes, they would say that's the worst thing that ever happened," says Ball.But there's just one problem. We knocked on more than a dozen doors in the area, where none of the neighbors wanted to speak on camera about it. The main reason, they didn't want to get involved, or didn't want to be targeted."We have people that are just scared to death. They don't want to be seen, they don't want people to know they're complaining.  They just sat hunkered down in their house hoping that their not the one that's next," says BallHabitat For Humanity sent NewsChannel9 a statement Wednesday about the matter. It reads:"We at Habitat for Humanity of Chattanooga are deeply saddened by the loss of Ms. Moore's son, Leslie Townsend. Our hearts ache for her loss and are praying for her and her extended family.Our affiliate has served 240 families in our more than 25 years of service. In October of 1996, Ms. Moore became our sixty-fourth (64th) homeowner after successfully completing our required homeowner program and closing on the purchase of her home.The program requires families to complete at least 350 sweat equity hours which include several education courses, personal development training, assisting with the construction of other families' homes and up to 100 hours constructing their own home.Our ministry is rooted in assisting working, low-to-moderate income families attain their goal of affordable homeownership.Of course, once our families purchase their homes, they assume all of the rights and responsibilities available to every American homeowner.We join the entire Chattanooga community not only in mourning this family's loss but also the families of the other 20 people killed this year in Chattanooga" -Executive Director, Donna Williams

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