Pastor: Prayer, community involvement reduce violent crimes

Pastor: Prayer, community involvement reduce violent crimes

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SAN ANTONIO – A ministry believes the power of prayer and community involvement have reduced violent crimes at a northeast side apartment complex.

The Cottage Creek Apartments in the 4800 block of Ray Bon Drive saw its first murder in nearly two years on Sunday night. San Antonio Police said a 27-year-old man was shot and killed. The circumstances leading to his death were unknown since police were unable to find eyewitnesses. The last murder at these apartments happened in August 2014 when Quenton Jones, 18, was shot to death.

Pastor Toya Taylor said the time between the murders showed violence at the complex has decreased.

"No one has been shot at. No one has been killed until last night, so I believe that year and a half letting people know that we’re here has changed the community," she said.

After the August 2014 murder, Taylor came into the community and organized bible studies and other community events.

"We have to go outside the four walls. We have to step outside our boundaries," Taylor said. "Within the four walls we’re equipped. We’re getting equipped to do what we need to do and that’s to go outside and compel them to come in."

Residents said they have noticed that crime drastically decreased since Taylor arrived.

"There were always gun shots. We always heard the sirens going off and things like that. It was pretty bad. It was pretty rough," Andrew Sabater said.

Taylor said now that another shooting has happened, it’s time to do more to stop the violence.

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