Has God Abandoned the Ella Apartments in Lubbock?

I've been trying to wrap my brain around what happened at the Ella Apartments in Lubbock on June 9th.

If you somehow missed the headline in the news, a 14-year-old kid was shot and killed there. I wanted to take this opportunity to be one of the many squeaky wheels out there just looking for a little oil for that place. Perhaps if we all yell loud enough something can be done before another child loses their life.

A child.

14-year-olds are children if you have forgotten.

I spoke with a few residents about what it was like to live at The Ella. I was absolutely disturbed by some of the things I heard, and the images I chose not to share with you in this article today.

According to the Lubbock Police Department, 155 calls have been made to emergency services from The Ella in the last two months, 9 of which were calls about shots being fire. This is a problem. A major, major problem.

Multiple residents confirmed that the police are present at The Ella almost every single day, but somehow, that just isn't enough. Tenants have made it clear that they need help with this dire situation. They need a massive intervention from not only the housing authority, but law enforcement, child protective services, adult protective services and anyone else who can come in and help to make a difference.

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One resident who spoke to us under the condition of anonymity described prostitution, drug trafficking, domestic violence and apartments in terrible condition. Most of the people living there are on some form of government assistance. Some of them pay as little as $25/month to live there. Others question whether or not a portion of the tenants actually need government assistance or if they're simply working the system.

A man living there told me that the police are afraid to go there at night.

What's the solution? What can Lubbock do to help? Please comment below or on our Facebook page if you have insight into living or working at The Ella, or if you have suggestions for ways to improve the quality of life for residents.