Recent Tragedies
Sarmistha Sen was only forty-three years old when her body was discovered at the corner of Legacy Drive and Marchman Way in Plano, TX. It was Saturday, August 1, when Sen left for her morning run. A mother of two sons, Sen was a Clinical Research Manager at UT Southwestern Medical Center. What originated as a burglary turned into a cold-hearted murder case, which still leaves residents in shock with the recent news of her murder. Michael Jones, the victim of the nearby robbery, said in a statement: “I’m totally shocked because I can’t believe that this mad man went and killed somebody and then came up onto my house where it was fully lit up.” Recent events have led to the arrest and charge of murder against the burglar of the household in correlation with the murder of Sen, which can be found here. However, the burglary coupled with the murder indicated a larger trend; crime is on the rise throughout the United States, and Plano is no exception.
Crime Increase in the US
Though surprising, the recent murder of Sen exhibits the increasing trend of crime permeating throughout the United States, especially during a time of crisis. If the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest have not been bad enough, headlines indicate a spike in homicides, not only in our Plano neighborhoods but across this country. Mark Berman of the Washington Post uncovers the stories of two children coupled with a growing rate of crime this year. “11-year-old Davon McNeal was at an anti-violence cookout in Washington, D.C., when bullets struck him. In Chicago, 7-year-old Natalia Wallace was outside her family's house during a holiday gathering as the shooting began. Both children were killed.” In a recent study done by the Uniform Crime Record, an FBI database warns that “Overall crime is down 5.3 percent in 25 large American cities relative to the same period in 2019, with violent crime down 2 percent. But murder in these 25 cities is up 16.1 percent in relation to last year.”
Such a drastic spike in numbers could be for several reasons. German Lopez demonstrates 4 of the main considered factors:
Crimes directed from the change in police activity.
Alan Greenblatt notes “There’s a changed atmosphere surrounding police.” Ture continues to add, “[police are] less vigilant, they’re less active, they’re only providing law enforcement services in situations where they can’t pull back.” With an increased distrust in law enforcement, pulling back of police activity, and a range of other factors, crimes in several major American cities have recently gone unchecked.
A dwindling economy has led to more petty crimes such as theft.
With an uptick in COVID-19 cases, employment drawbacks have unfolded in recent months. Data collected by the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program exhibited 13.2 million Americans receiving unemployment benefits during the July 4th weekend. Expert, Jerry Ratcliffe, hypothesizes that “Covid-19 could have reduced the market and opportunities for recreational drug use/dealing, which puts stress on the drug markets and increases violence.”
Increase in gun purchases this year.
In order to purchase a gun in the US, states need to conduct background checks. And in March of this year, FBI reports recorded a 12 percent addition to background checks conducted. A preliminary account published by UCLA concluded that the increase in gun purchases during May led to more gun violence.
Distrust in policing
With the recent outcry in support of the black lives matter movement, sparked by the killing of George Floyd, another theory has developed among crime experts. Due to police actions both before and during the current protests, many individuals, both nationally and locally, have lost trust in the police. The theory suggests that this has led to “legal cynicism.” Rather than relying on the police, many have switched to using illegal systems and “street justice” to resolve conflict and disputes. Because of this, conflicts are resolved through more violent and illicit solutions, fueling an increase in both homicide and crime as a whole.
Murder reports pre-COVID compared to reports made in June 2020:
Source: Police departments and media reports
Plano Safety Issues
Though crime has largely increased at a National Level, it’s imperative that the same ideas and points are studied within our own local community, Plano. And unfortunately enough, these same trends seen across the country are happening inside of Plano as well. The FBI recently conducted a Uniform Crime Report, examining 25 cities across the country and their crime rates, one of which is Plano. You can find the full report here, but in summarization: While crime as a generality has slightly fallen in Plano, violent crimes have had an increase this year by 4%. The murder of Sen demonstrates just one example of this; violent crime in Plano is on the rise. Another FBI report clarifies this for us: Plano is an incredibly safe city in comparison with statistics and data-focused around the United States and Texas- but every recent statistic points us towards one fact- violent crime is on the rise in our community.
The issue is, why? Once again, it’s most likely due to the same theories discussed at the national level. Four basic principles have led to an increase in crime this year, and all of them stem from two common ideas; a change of the outlook on our police and a change resulting from the rise of Covid-19. So if violent crime is on the rise in Pano, why aren’t we protecting ourselves?
Why are You Not Cautious?
These dire times have reduced our awareness of our safety when it comes to leaving our homes because we are keener on meeting health standards. But why are Plano residents not doing both?
Neighborhood Scouts, a reputable search engine designed by the Department of Homeland Security, listed Plano as one of its wealthiest suburbs in Texas. It also highlights a certain subsection of the city, Independence and Legacy, to have a median real estate price of $448,250. This is the neighborhood where Sen’s body was found.
Additionally, Plano civilians don’t reckon safety concerns because they have received noticeable attention for being one of the safest neighborhoods in America. For several years, Plano has been named the “Safest City in America with Population 250,000+ and 11th Safest Overall in the Country.” Other accolades can be seen here. After the tragic killing of Sen, Plano Police Department Spokesman, Officer David Tilley, elaborated on the general idea those statistics show: “You know, I’ve been with this department for 23 years and I can't recall any incident like this happening, our trails have always been safe."
Neighborhood Scouts also analyzed cities and towns in America with a similar population size to Plano, and they found that the crime rate in Plano is one of the lowest in the nation for its size. This means Plano is one of the safest places in America. No wonder people are still devastated.
The predominant population in Plano believes our cities reputation will keep them safe, however, the rising crime rates cannot go unnoticed. Violence has diffused all over the US, including Plano, it is imperative you stay safe.
Effects On This Community
“I’m upset. I feel really bad for the family," Chintala said. "My heart goes out to them because I know they were a nice family.” Sen, a mother of two young boys and a caring wife to a husband, has sparked empathy around people all over the city of Plano. Because of how rare homicide crimes like these are in Plano, the community has actually come together in memory of Sen and in appreciation for all she’s done. Today, at the exact same spot where Sen was killed, a memorial sits for her. Those shocked by her death and grieving for her family leave pairs of shoes in front of her photo, symbolizing her love for jogging. The entire community from Plano has come together, to remember Sen for her not only her desires, but her contributions, and to create a community inside of the city that helps and cares for others in times of grieving.
At Marchman and Legacy, near Chisolm Trail. Taken August 4th, 2020.
How you can stay safe
The tragic death of Sen highlights the multiple dangers you could face while jogging or running. However, this is a common activity that many residents of Plano participate in as a form of exercise. Logically, it isn’t feasible to completely avoid running. With that being said, this is a terrible moment for this city, and we hope it never happens again. Here are some ways you can keep yourself safe.
Don’t wear headphones.
Headphones often blast music to the point where it affects your ability to stay alert to things happening around you. This can be potentially harmful to your well-being, as well as the safety of others on the road. If you do wear headphones, keep the volume low enough to where you can hear your surroundings.
Go in daylight, preferably with a larger number of people out and about.
Try to make sure there are people around you, so if a problem occurs or an incident like this does, people are around to help. That being said, coronavirus is still a major health concern. Take the necessary precautions to stay safe on trails.
Stay alert
Be aware of your surroundings and the things happening around you. This can help with a variety of things, whether it be a potential person that means you harm, or even just a biker trying to pass you. Staying alert keeps you and others around you safe.
Keep proper identification with you.
If anything does happen, vital information is important to have on hand because you may need it in case of an injury or crime against you. Things like your name, emergency contacts, and blood type can be kept in a place like your shoe soles.
Run against traffic
If a potential aggressor or incident is about to occur against you, running against traffic allows you to view all incoming vehicles gives you a better chance at responding, rather than vehicles approaching from behind.
Go on trails that you are familiar with.
Knowing where you are going is always something important. Walking on trails you are familiar with gives you a better way of being comfortable with your surroundings, while also being more alert of things happening around you.
Lock your doors and close your garage and windows.
Keeping your house safe and locked is a general form of safety. Burglary and crimes such as Breaking and Entering can often be avoided by simple precautions like these.
Find more ways you can stay safe here.
Today, the community has united together, forming a memorial near the trail Sarmistha Sen was found. Community members have gathered to remember the kind-hearted family member that Sarmistha Sen was. With crisis level circumstances bombarding every Plano resident, we forget about the community we have around us and we lose hope. But this calamity has only brought Plano together. “In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.“ - Albert Einstein
This article is dedicated to Sarmistha Sen, her wonderful husband, and her two boys.
Written by: Gabriel Bo & Abhinav Chellury
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