Houston residents packed a community meeting this week with one clear message for police and city leaders.
HOUSTON — Residents in East Houston are calling on city leaders and police to increase law enforcement presence in their neighborhoods, citing a rise in crime and homelessness they say has worsened over the past few years.
Tensions came to a head following the fatal stabbing of a 77-year-old man earlier this month. Anival Elvir Ortiz was attacked Aug. 7 while riding his bicycle to work along an East Houston trail. He later died from his injuries. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Aaron Sheehan, was described by police as a transient. Authorities say Sheehan fled the scene on a METRO Rail train and was taken into custody six days later.
For longtime resident Mark Rodriguez, the tragedy was a breaking point.
“It shouldn’t take somebody losing their life,” Rodriguez said. “This ain’t the only trail in our community.”
Rodriguez, who has lived on the east side his entire life, said the area has changed drastically since the Greyhound bus station relocated nearby and METRO Rail expanded down Harrisburg Boulevard. Abandoned buildings left behind by shuttered businesses, he said, have become makeshift shelters for the homeless.
“It’s the worst it’s ever been,” Rodriguez said. “You see people who look like they’re on drugs, all spaced out, asking for money while you’re driving.”
Residents gathered this week at a community meeting, where many echoed the same solution: more police patrols.
Houston Police Department Sgt. Corey, who previously worked in the area near the former Greyhound station, acknowledged the residents’ frustrations.
“From 2008 to 2023, I dealt with the bus station, and there are a lot of problems associated with it,” Corey said.
He added that officers have been actively entering vacant buildings and making arrests, although the operations are complex and require multiple officers due to safety concerns.
HPD also pointed to a new city ordinance that prohibits sitting or lying on sidewalks as a potential tool to address the growing vagrancy problem. Officers said they are hopeful the ordinance will help reduce encampments and deter criminal activity.
Still, residents say they want to see a consistent police presence — not just after violent incidents.
“They get on the trail, commit crimes, and get back on the rail,” one resident said. “We need more than just reaction — we need prevention.”
Police have not said whether patrol staffing in the area will increase, but promised to continue engaging with the community as concerns persist.