PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — Seeing everything from illegal drug use to break-ins has become too common for one viewer in Pueblo.
Tim Barlett contacted News5 to shed light on the problem on West 7th Street.
"We found needles in our parking lot. We found them under our cars," said Barlett.
Barlett says seeing people doing illegal drugs is not new anymore.
"I shouldn't be woken up every day from somebody out here screaming like a fool," said Barlett. "I shouldn't be out here picking up somebody's needles."
He says suspicious activities are starting to escalate into violence.
"He came at me with a pipe," said Barlett.
He started carrying a weapon with him for his safety.
Barlett says he wanted to document suspicious activities outside his apartment so that he could prove they were happening every day. With photos he took, Barlett says he has reported them to the Pueblo Police Department.
Pueblo Police say they had 27 calls for service to this specific area in the last month. Those calls were for things ranging from disturbances to mental health, to fights and weapons.
Police say 75% of those calls were for an unwanted party, which police say they expect with the number of people experiencing homelessness in the area. They say they are aware of suspicious activities related to that population.
Barlett says he once experienced homelessness, so he understands their struggles. However, he says, it's concerning when it poses a threat to public safety.
"Help us clean up our town. Do it in the right way," said Barlett.
Pueblo Police are asking the public to document any photos or videos and report them directly to their online portal, Police to Citizen.
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