AMHERST, NY (WKBW) — There are concerns about crime in Amherst, one of Buffalo's largest suburbs, once considered one of the safest places in Western New York.
In July, a 27-year-old woman was found dead at the Amherst Inn & Suites on Niagara Falls Boulevard. Also in July, a police officer shot a suspect while responding to reports of a domestic disturbance on Bailey Avenue. In August, four teenagers were arrested after a chase involving a stolen vehicle on Noel Drive. Then on Wednesday night, there was a shooting in the area of Capen Boulevard and Yale Avenue.
Police said the victim was taken to ECMC with non-life-threatening injuries and there would be increased police activity in the area as the investigation continues.
I cover the Northtowns for you and I spoke to the to the leader of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce about safety in the town.
“I still think it's a very safe community," said AJ Baynes, president & CEO, Amherst Chamber of Commerce. "I think our Amherst police force does a tremendous job."
Baynes, who has a pulse on the town and its surrounding village and hamlets, emphasized that Amherst is the second-largest suburb of the City of Buffalo.
"Keep in mind, this is a community of 130,000 people, just protecting the lives here and the homeowners here is a big job in itself," Baynes said. "But then you also have people from outside the community that are coming in. A daytime population that reaches nearly 200,000, that's going to lead to, unfortunately, there's going to be crime."
"There is a criminal element that just exists in the world, and I would say for most homeowners and business owners, you always have to be on guard and be vigilant,” Baynes said.
Baynes told me Amherst remains a tremendous community with a “top-tier law enforcement agency."
“We need to make the investments that we need to make in law enforcement to ensure that we protect all of the lives and the business owners here,” said Baynes.
A life-long Amherst resident sent our newsroom an email concerned about growing incidents of crime in Amherst, writing she "never imagined" she would "feel unsafe" in her own community and is asking what happened to the place that once had the title as one of the "safest cities" in America.
"Amherst is still one of the safer cities in America, and will continue to be one of the safer cities in America,” Baynes said.
I spoke to an Eggertsville resident, who did not want to go on camera, but told me he walks his dog every night through this neighborhood and is fearful, and he believes the shooting may have been an isolated incident.
Amherst police told me the shooting remains under investigation and have no further comments at this time, declining an interview.
