Abandoned House Called Haven For Drug Activity

Alabama Mobile House is near where a 17 year old was shot and killed in his home last month.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Fri, January 30, 2009 - 7:19 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, January 30, 2009 - 7:55 pm CST

A Prichard woman is trying to get a house torn down that she says is a haven for drug and gang activity.
It's in the 6000 Block of Gaynor Road in the Indian Hills community.
The house is about half a block away from where a 17 year old boy was shot seven times and killed in his own home.
Last month, Josh Lawshe was shot to death by three masked gunmen.
17 year old Thomas Berg and two fifteen year olds have been charged with his murder.
Peggy Morgan lives in the neighborhood and says there's plenty of crime and what she believes is gang activity.
She showed News Five a vacant house about half a block down from where Lawshe was killed.
Morgan said, "It's a disgrace. No one should be allowed to let this happen."
There isn't a room that isn't filled with garbage.
There are also beer and liquor bottles and a mattress.
But what stands out the most are symbols on the walls.
Morgan said, "Teenagers come in here and smoke their dope, running in and out."
She said she's seen this especially at night and on the weekends.
Another person who lives in the neighborhood echoes Morgan's complaints.
He didn't want to be identified, but said, "I can't get used to it (the neighborhood) because I can't get used to all this violence and crime."
Morgan said she wants Prichard Police to patrol the area more often to watch for illegal activity in the house.
But most of all she wants the house torn down.
Morgan said, "I don't see how it could ever get this far out of hand and I think the state ought to be able to put some kind of lien against the property if the people don't clean it up."
Prichard Assistant Police Chief Jimmy Gardner said police do patrol the area but wasn't familiar with the particular property.
A complaint has also been filed with the environmental department with the City of Prichard about the house.

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KxVicious Says:

Sat, Jan 31, 2009 at 1:43 pm

News 5 Investigates! Why don’t you guys go pull the tax records and find out who owns the property, and try to get them to explain why they let this happen?