SEATTLE — Teetee Shade enjoys coming to the Atlantic City Boat Ramp with her family. She takes pride in the summer hang-out spot.
"We cook. We clean this park. We make sure this park is lit. We make sure the park is safe for our kids to play in," Shade said. However, things happen here that are out of her control.
"I would never be caught here at night anymore because it is dangerous."
Headlines about shootings at or near the Atlantic City Boat Ramp put an unwanted spotlight on the area.
"It's really stressful for us because we don't want to come here the next day or so. My car has been shot a couple of times," Shade said. She's adamant those committing the crimes are not part of her community that enjoys the park on a daily basis.
To address the surge in violent crimes, Seattle Parks and Recreation, partnering with Seattle Police, will be closing the Atlantic Boat Ramp at 10 p.m. for the next two months. Shade, however, isn't sure that'll keep crime from happening.
"We talk to all the boaters. We're familiar with most of the boaters that come out here every year," she said. "Those aren't the people that are actually engaging in this park, they just come to go into the water."
She blames the violence on a particular group.
"Young kids, probably on drugs. You have to be on drugs to keep doing that stuff in these parks," she said.
Along with closing the boat ramp, Shade, while having mixed feelings about more police, would like to see officers patrolling the area to keep crime down.
"They're here for us. I need them out. My kids are out here."
Shade would also like to see Atlantic City Boat Ramp have gates that actually close. As of now, cinder blocks with chains attached to orange traffic cones are what's in place.