"We are healing": Sacramento mass shooting hits one year mark Monday; what's changed downtown?
SACRAMENTO -- Monday, April 3 will mark one year since the city of Sacramento's worst mass shooting on record, sparked by rival gangs in the early morning hours on K Street as nightlife-goers were heading home.
In total six people died, three of them were innocent women caught in the crosshairs as bullets flew near K and 10th streets.
As of late, Downtown Sacramento has buzzed as the positivity of a playoff-bound Sacramento Kings team, purple fever and "beam team" branding is spilling over, making downtown businesses boom.
Even still, Monday brings a reminder of one of Downtown's darkest moments.
"I never felt like I was unsafe until that happened," a nightlife goer told CBS13. "Now, we definitely come down a lot earlier. We will go to happy hour, try to be heading home by 10 p.m. at the latest and just get home safe."
The shooting, a stain on a vibrant downtown trying to move past the tragic moments.
Leia Schenk leads "Empact," a group focused on crisis response and violence prevention on Sacramento streets.
"There are a lot of people who will never come down here again because of that," said Schenk.
One year later - our question - have things changed?
"In some avenues, yes. In other ways, no. Nobody is entirely, 100% safe," said Schenk. "Where is the accountability? What are they doing to do to keep the streets safe? That's the question we have too."
After the shooting came a heavy focus on security by the city and its police.
The City of Sacramento created a new position, a nighttime economy manager; a liaison between the city and its nightlife. Tina Lee-Vogt set her sights on uniform safety procedures for bars and nightclubs.
"We always check our customers. Always ask if they have any weapons or pepper spray," said Norman Ayles of Coin-Op Game Room.
Ayles says in the year since the shooting downtown does feel safer thanks to added security, but change is still needed. Coin-Op sits less than a block away from the K Street shooting scene, but the tragedy impacted all nearby businesses.
"Because for you, a safer downtown is better for business, right?" asked reporter Ashley Sharp.
"Absolutely. It's safer for everyone, it's better for everyone," said Ayles.
Downtown is determined to rebound 1 year after its darkest moments.
"K Street is coming to a change. We are healing," said Ayles.
At K and 10th, a remembrance ceremony will be held Monday at 6 p.m. hosted by Empact and the families of the six victims to honor the lives lost and continue to push for change for a safer downtown Sacramento.
CBS13 reached out to multiple city leaders and offices Friday to ask about what's changed downtown since the mass shooting, being a federal holiday, no one was available for comment.
