Homicide puts black eye on anti-crime efforts in Taylor neighborhood

The third homicide in Cedar Rapids this year leaves investigators looking for answers.

30-year-old Andre Herron was shot and killed Saturday night.  It happened in the 800 block of Seventh Street SW, near Taylor Elementary School, just after 11 p.m. (story c0ntinues below map)

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This is the first homicide in the area this year, but most crime statistics are down in 2011 compared to 2010, January through October. Both arrests and police service calls are down 20 percent in the Taylor area neighborhood.

After the flood came, there were many vacant homes with squatters and some criminal activity. Overall, crime's down in the Taylor area.  But a homicide in this neighborhood puts a black eye on those efforts to curb crime.

"Things aren't as safe as they used to be back in the Beaver Cleaver days,” said Taylor Area Neighborhood Association Vice President Kathy Potts.

That's why Potts says they're working to protect their own backyard.

"We're in the process of trying to put together neighborhood watch committees and talking to people about that and about being careful,” said Potts.

After Herron's shooting death, Cedar Rapids police investigators are trying to find out why it happened and who did it.

"(We're) just trying to piece together why he was there and what happened that led to the shooting,” said Cedar Rapids Police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin.

It's a neighborhood that's seen fewer assaults, thefts, and other crimes this year compared to the last.

"All of our calls and arrests and everything were down in the Taylor neighborhood last year,” said Hamblin.

But a homicide here more work remains.

"You feel terrible of course for the family that this has happened, but you wonder what's going on or was there anything a neighbor could have done or an association or was it just one of those random things you can't prepare for?” Potts said.

No arrests have been made in this case.  If you have any information, you're asked to call Linn County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CS-CRIME.  You can also participate in Taylor Area Neighborhood Association monthly meetings the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m.