Tacoma business owners, residents push for solutions to ongoing crime

TACOMA, Wash. - Residents and business owners say they love their city, Tacoma is home, but seeing the decay, destruction and devastation caused by the ongoing crime they say is overwhelmingly difficult.

They're considering other options, moving or shutting down their business for good.

Image 360 has been in Central Tacoma for over 20 years. It's owners Al and Rose Mednick say they're one of the few thinking of selling. They're speeding up their retirement timeline as they say things are only getting worse.

"I'm tired of the garbage, I'm tired of the situation," Al said. "Fife years ago Tacoma was vibrant it’s not anymore."

He's not alone. Many are saying enough is enough. Dozens met with Tacoma city leaders trying to find solutions.

Business owners say the open drug use, needles on their property, trash, fires and nudity are only a glimpse of what they've been dealing with on a daily basis.

"There was a party in front of our building, they set a fire right next to our building," Al said. "We have video, for four hours with them hanging out doing drugs around the fire."

Elvira Ellis who works at Feed Commodities says she loves the melting pot of cultures, coming to work was a joy. Now, she avoids taking a walk during lunch.

"You feel very unsafe," Ellis said.

Horror stories, they say are the new norm.

Kyle "Skip" Smith was born and raised in Tacoma. His father started Smith Western now in South Tacoma. He says his front door was home to a machete attack around mid-February. 

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The fight was over a phone, according to Tacoma police. 

Smith is pushing for new legislation to help police officers do their jobs.

Owner of Summit Vet Hospital, Andy Hofeling, says he's used to seeing machete attacks, guns, weapons while the violent crimes are alarming he says it's the low level crimes that continue to rogue the lifestyle people are trying to have.

"This is an ongoing thing, it happens every day  but where’s the help?" Hofeling questioned before TPD, Tacoma's Mayor, Pierce County Prosecutor and other city leaders.